P.E.I. Special Olympics celebrating 30 years of 'enormous opportunities'

The Special Olympics movement on P.E.I. will celebrate 30 years of sport this weekend.

Tommy McGuigan has been there from the start, and even before the start, competing with Nova Scotia's floor hockey team before the movement came to the Island. Over the decades, McGuigan has also competed in softball, bocce, and 5-pin bowling.

"One of the highlights would be the first time we had a competition on the Island, which was in Summerside in '92," he said.

"After that, in 2004, when floor hockey was integrated into being a winter game sport, we had the games here in town at the Civic Centre. We won gold that year."

McGuigan has also competed internationally, playing softball for the Island team at the Worlds competition in Athens in 2011.

Islanders competing and medalling internationally

Cecil Villard connected with the Special Olympics movement while working in sports and recreation in Alberta in the 1970s. He was on the national board when he moved back to P.E.I. in the 1980s, and initiated the movement on the Island.

Special Olympics has since grown to include 18 sports and 334 athletes.

"It's provided enormous opportunities for sport participation," said Villard.

"Folks like Tommy have not only had the opportunity to compete provincially, nationally, but we've had athletes from P.E.I. that have competed internationally and medalled internationally."

The 30th anniversary celebration is taking place on Sunday from 6 to 9:00 p.m. at UPEI's W. A. Murphy Centre.

Activities planned for the event include a memorabilia display, volunteer years of service presentations, and a dance,

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