Leos Support Inclusion and Unified Sports
The Leos from Multiple District (MD) 22 in Towson, Maryland hosted an event for Special Olympics athletes, Lions and Leos to come together and play bocce ball. Lions, Leos and Special Olympic athletes were paired into teams of four. Each team had a mix of participants competing together, to gain a deeper understanding of the value of inclusion and unified sports.
Bocce ball, as a Special Olympics sport, provides people with special needs the opportunity to have social contact, develop physically and gain self-confidence. This event was a great opportunity for Leos and Lions to engage in sport with Special Olympics athletes. Those in attendance left with a better understanding of inclusion for all.
Five Leos Clubs from Delaware, Maryland and Washington D.C. participated, including: Severn River Leos Club, New Market Middle School Leo Club, First State Military Academy Leo Club, Tasker Leo Club at Benjamin Tasker Middle School and Zakat Leo Club. The event coincided with the MD-22 Multiple District 100-year celebration.
A total of 70 players and more than 30 spectators joined for a day of sports and fun, including 43 Leos and 27 Lions. Among the Lions were PIP Brian Sheehan and his wife Lori. The event was funded in part by a US$5,000 Leo Service Grant from the Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF). The Leos not only played bocce ball, but also gained service experience in event planning, management and communications.
“We’re really just here supporting our community and spending quality time with the youth who are out here doing positive things like this and leading by example,” said Lion Vernon Vassallo of the Wilmington United Lions Club.
In 2001, Lions International and Special Olympics formed a partnership that has proven to be instrumental in furthering a shared mission of the two organizations to promote and provide inclusive health, sports and community for people with intellectual disabilities. Through sport, Special Olympics is creating a world where opportunity is not limited by disability.
“Inclusion means everybody is equal in their own way, at all ability levels and ages, and we can bring people together to break the barriers,” said Paris Bennett, Athlete with Special Olympics, Maryland. “I’ve been part of Special Olympics for five or six years. It means a lot to me.”
Learn more about LCIF’s partnership with Special Olympics by exploring lionsclubs.org/SpecialOlympics.
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