Submitted by: Shirley Todosichuk | Over 60 Special Olympic athletes, coaches and volunteers from the Swan Valley, Russell and Winnipegosis enjoyed an afternoon of dancing, dining and friendship at the 7th Annual Special Olympics Dance Fever on April 21, 2018 at the Elbert Chartrand Friendship Centre.

$4,620 was raised in the 50/50 cash draw. Congratulations to the winners!

Pictured above (L-R): 1st place winner $1155.00-Carolyn Podolski. Cheque presented by Tigers Bowling athlete Skyler Blosha. 2nd place winner $693.00-Marilyn Griffith. Cheque presented by Special Olympics Athlete John Schabert. 3rd place winner $462.00-Skyler Blosha. Cheque presented by Coach Gail Bruce.

All of our athletes worked hard at selling tickets.

Pictured above: Top 3 outstanding fundraisers who received gift certificates: 3rd Anita Biech $450, 2nd Darren Boryskavich $850 and 1st the second year in a row Skyler Blosha $950.

A Pep Rally was also held to send off our 6 Parkland athletes; Alli Landels, Jeremy Stephen and Cheyenne Branden, who were chosen to represent Manitoba in the 5 Pin National Bowling Championships in Charlottetown, PEI from May 15-19th with Coach June Mosiondz, who will be traveling to PEI as the Head Coach for the 5 Pin Bowling Team, and Kendall Leslie (Athletics), Ricky Zimmer (Bocce), and John Schabert (Swimming) who are competing in the 2018 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games in Antigonish, Nova Scotia July 31-Aug 4, 2018. GO TEAM TOBA GO!

Well wishes and high 5’s were given to our National athletes and everyone celebrated with a piece of delicious sport-themed cakes!

A very big thank you to everyone who made our Dance Fever a hit; Elbert Chartrand Friendship Centre, Lorri-Ann and Quinn Munro, Y Not Johnny’s, Doreen, Bev, Cindy and Cathy for beautiful cakes, everyone who purchased tickets to support our athletes and all of our athletes, coaches and volunteers who came together to make it a great event.

Our next fundraising event will be our Annual Special Olympics BBQ on Wednesday, June 13th 11-2 pm, in front of Home Hardware Swan River. This year we are Celebrating Special Olympics Manitoba Awareness Week and the 50th Anniversary of the Special Olympics Movement, which began in 1968 at Soldier Field in Chicago with the very first Special Olympic Games.