Awards galore for Athlone Special Olympics Club
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Aideen Harkins receiving her First Aid cert. Aideen is the first athlete in the Athlone club to be qualified in First Aid.Image 2 of 3
Aideen, Aine and Shauna attending the All Ireland Athlete Leadership Forum.Image 3 of 3
Volunteers Liam, Kathleen, Maeve, Laura and Des and athletes Aideen, Aine and Shauna pictured at the Special Olympic Volunteer Awards at which Athlone won the Most Innovative Club Award.Athlone Special Olympics looked back on a hugely successful 2024 during which it brought home two awards from the Special Olympics Ireland Volunteer of the Year Awards in Dublin.
The Athlone club had three volunteers nominated in two categories, Volunteer of the Year and also under Volunteer of the Year at the Winter Games 2024. The club was also nominated for Most Innovative Club of the year. There was screams of delighted echoing around the Crowne Plaza Hotel when the Athlone club was announced winner of the Most Innovative Club of the Year and the joy didn’t end there as Des Grealis was selected as the Volunteer of the Year at the Winter Games 2024.
On arrival back to Athlone the club members were overjoyed to see the town bridge shining bright in the club colours of blue and navy.
The club is currently seeing volunteers. It trains Tuesday night from 7-9pm and on Wednesdays night from 7.30pm to 8.30pm. Even if your background is not in sport there is a place for everyone in Special Olympics so why not pop down to one of the sessions
September last also saw three of the club athletes and a volunteer attend the All-Ireland Athlete Leadership Forum in Portlaoise. There was a number of workshops on the day for the athletes to attend and to get new ideas form. The three athletes, Aideen Harkins, Aine Naughton and Shauna Stewart are now fully trained Athlete Fitness Captains within the club. The club also has its first ever athlete qualified in First Aid.