Sobeys aids Special Olympians

Sobeys Amherstburg donated $3,010 so that local Special Olympians can go to nationals, one of them being a Sobeys employee (Yanhong Dewan, left). Also pictured are Krista and Rick Truant from Sobeys and Yvonne Soulliere and Cindy LaBrecque from LaSalle-Windsor Special Olympics.

A local grocery store has stepped up to help one of their employees and some of her teammates go to the Special Olympics.

The Sobeys store in Amherstburg, owned and operated by Rick and Krista Truant, donated $3,010 to the LaSalle-Windsor Special Olympics (LWSO) so athletes the LWSO supports can go to the national games later this year.

The nationals for Special Olympics is Aug. 9-16 in Medicine Hat, Alberta.

Sobeys assisted with fundraising efforts by accepting donations at the cash register and they raised $870 doing that. They also held a barbecue for Special Olympics where an additional $2,140 was raised, bringing the overall total to $3,010.

The LWSO is sending 13 athletes to the national Special Olympics, with Yanhong Dewan being one of them. She is a Sobeys employee and the store wants to support her and their teammates. Dewan will be participating in rhythmic gymnastics while in Medicine Hat, something she practices at regularly. Her training includes crossfit and swimming in addition to rhythmic gymnastics itself.

“I love it so much,” said Dewan. “It’s my favourite sport.”

In addition to the 13 local athletes, three coaches are also heading to Alberta. One of them is Amherstburg resident Cindy LaBrecque, who noted they will fly out of Toronto to Calgary before heading by bus to Medicine Hat.

Should the local athletes be successful at the nationals, they could qualify for the Special Olympics world games, which will be held in Santiago, Chile.

Other sports local LWSO athletes will be participating in include bowling, swimming, golf, powerlifting and softball. 

Sobeys aids Special Olympians

By Ron Giofu