Special Olympics Georgia Travels to Africa

Special Olympics Georgia will be traveling to Kenya for a five day program visit. They will depart on October 17th, with a departure date of October 20.

The group, which will be comprised of Special Olympics Georgia team members, board members, Kenya leaders and a Special Olympics, Inc. representative and all will arrive at the Orione Training Center the morning of October 17th to see the community. Orione is the founder in the late 1800’s of a Catholic religious order, focused on persons that live with mental conditions and syndromes. Special Olympics and Orione share a common goal; to provide opportunity to the same excluded population. This center provides daily skills development opportunities and education for its participants, from around six years of age and up to about 22 years of age.

From Orione, the Special Olympics Georgia group will visit the Lions Eye Hospital to show their support and gratitude for the free treatment that the hospital provides to Special Olympics athletes. From there, they will visit Kakuma Refugee Camp where Special Olympics Georgia will lead various team training sessions for 50 local coaches and athletes.

“Special Olympics Georgia is excited to be conducting sports training clinics for athletes and coaches in track and field as well as soccer in Kenya, Africa,” said Special Olympics Georgia CEO Georgia Milton-Sheats. “The trainings will take place on Friday, October 18. We will also be visiting a hospital and a school and will be extending an invitation to Special Olympics Kenya athletes to come in May 2020 to compete at our State Summer Games.”

Special Olympics Georgia will name Special Olympics Kenya athletes and coaches to be representatives as the Grand Marshalls of Special Olympics Georgia’s 2020 Summer Games at Emory University. This will coincide with the celebration of SOGA’s 50th Anniversary.

Special Olympics Georgia is looking forward to aligning our core values with Orione and spreading the mission of Special Olympics with the wonderful team at Special Olympics Kenya.

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Photo Credit: Special Olympics