Marlene Mayer: 35 Years of Strikes and Saves!

For 35 years, Marlene Mayer has been participating in a wide range of sports with Special Olympics Ontario, garnering praise for her skill in 10-pin bowling and floor hockey in particular. “My best memory is when I was playing goalie in floor hockey and had three shutouts.” In 2022, Marlene’s strong athletic performance allowed her to meet Mayor Nina Bifolchi …

Shawn Horsley: Bradford’s Bowling Beacon!

Shawn Horsley, a Special Olympics athlete from Bradford, has been competing in sports such as 5-pin bowling and bocce for over 30 years. Speaking on his behalf, Shawn’s mother Angie said Special Olympics “gives Shawn an outlet to be with others like himself and learn skills.” Shawn is non-verbal, but that doesn’t stop him from enjoying being with people at …

Candace Bushie: Peterborough’s Powerhouse!

With nearly a decade of competition under her belt, we’re highlighting Candace Bushie from Peterborough this month! Candace competes in five sports, ranging from floor hockey to swimming, and was a member of the women’s soccer team representing Canada at the World Games in Berlin last year! “It was my first time going out of Canada,” Candace shared. “It opened …

Christine Tetley: Rolling High in Year Twenty-Five!

As a passionate 5-pin bowler, Christine Tetley from Dryden Ontario looks forward to bowling each week and competing in the Regional Tournament in Thunder Bay every April. For her, Special Olympics means spending time with friends, having fun, and striving to be her best. Earlier this year, Christine represented Team Ontario at the Special Olympics National Winter Games. In anticipation …

Stephen Graham: Year Twenty-Seven and Still Revvin’!

If you’ve been following Special Olympics for a while, there’s a good chance you’ve at least heard of Stephen Graham, an athlete from Orillia who competes in five different sports. Stephen’s been a stalwart advocate of Special Olympics over the past two-and-a-half decades, frequently interviewed by media outlets and repeatedly recognized as Athlete of the Year at both the national …

Breanna Williams: Skating Through Success!

At 15 years old, Breanna Williams is the only athlete from Windsor-Essex to have qualified in Figure Skating for the 2024 National Winter Games in Calgary. But Breanna’s story starts more than six years before she competed with athletes from across the country earlier this year. Breanna first started skating at four years old, falling in love with the sport …