By Mark Dreger

Kelowna residents gathered in City Park Saturday to participate in the 6th Annual Motionball event to raise funds for the Special Olympics Canada Foundation.

About 350 athletes and 60 volunteers competed in the Marathon of Sport event with each team having at least one of the 44 Special Olympians on their roster. Athletes played football, soccer, Frisbee, basketball, ball hockey, and even human foosball to name a few.

害羞草研究所淲e want to educate young professionals on intellectual disabilities and the Special Olympics (SO) movement,害羞草研究所� said Donnie Ungaro, motionball co-event director for Kelowna. 害羞草研究所淭wo per cent of the Canadian population has an intellectual disability, yet only 20 per cent of those are in Special Olympics programs, so we want to get our generation involved in the movement as donors and coaches and sponsors and helping out with it.害羞草研究所�

Motionball wants to help people integrate with Special Olympics害羞草研究所� athletes so that when they see someone with a disability on the street, they are encouraged to talk to them instead of shying away.

Peter, an SO athlete who attended his second Motionball event, enjoys meeting new people and having fun playing sports.

害羞草研究所淚 lot of people know that there害羞草研究所檚 people with disabilities that want to compete in sports just like people without,害羞草研究所� Peter told the Capital News. 害羞草研究所淚 did want to join sports when I was growing up in school. I did a few like track and field, but I didn害羞草研究所檛 really start doing sports until I joined Special Olympics.害羞草研究所�

Peter has been a part of Special Olympics for four years and he will be playing in soccer nationals next summer.

Fellow special Olympic athlete Claire was the youngest participant in Motionball this year at 9-years-old. Claire said she likes playing basketball and hockey, but her favourite is ribbon gymnastics where she does cartwheels, handstands, and the splits.

害羞草研究所淗aving an intellectual disability doesn害羞草研究所檛 mean that they害羞草研究所檙e different than us,害羞草研究所� said Erica Hudson, marketing director for Motionball. 害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e completely the same and they害羞草研究所檙e so talented, so it害羞草研究所檚 just good all around.害羞草研究所�

Hudson first joined Motionball as a team member several years ago, but after experiencing the event firsthand meeting like-minded people and playing for a good cause, she joined the team and has been the marketing director for the last 2 years.

害羞草研究所淭here was somebody last year who had epilepsy who always wanted to be a part of sports but always felt kind of left out and now being a part of Special Olympics makes her feel like she can achieve anything and she害羞草研究所檚 doing outstanding,害羞草研究所� Hudson said. 害羞草研究所淭his event is not only a lot of fun, but is also bringing young professionals and the next generation of philanthropists together with Special Olympic athletes and the movement and just showing what it means to give back.害羞草研究所�

Motionball in Kelowna has grown from 21 teams last year to 28 this year. According to Ungaro, donations have gone up between 35 and 40 per cent in the last year as awareness of the event increases.

Motionball plans to raise $100,000 for Special Olympic athletes and they are confident they will surpass their goal. Motionball has already raised $1.25 million this year nationwide. 100 per cent of the funds raised through Motionball Marathon of Sport will go towards expanding Special Olympics programming to increase accessibility to individuals who would benefit.

Over 6,000 supporters and Special Olympics athletes participate in 24 annual events across Canada from Vancouver to Halifax.

害羞草研究所淚f you haven害羞草研究所檛 heard of MotionBall, get involved,害羞草研究所� Ungaro said. 害羞草研究所淭he Special Olympians will change your life. We害羞草研究所檙e fortunate as young professionals and people without the disability, yet the athletes are happier and just kinder than us, so I think we have more to learn from them than they do for us.害羞草研究所�