Mary set for first Winter Games
A NENAGH woman who has dedicated much of her life to enhancing the lives of Special Olympic athletes is getting ready to head off to yet another major event.
Mary Shiels has been invited to volunteer at Special Olympics World Winter Games to be hosted by Turin in Italy from March 8-25 next year.
“It’s something I always said I would like to do before I retire,” Mary told The Guardian. “I am really looking forward to it. It will be my first time at a Winter Games.”
Mary is well known among volunteers, athletes, and officials who have taken part in Special Olympic World Summer Games, as she has volunteered in the past at these games in Athens, Los Angeles, Abu Dhabi and Berlin.
Of the upcoming World Special Olympics World Winter Games, Mary says: “It is expected there will be 1,500 athletes, 103 countries, 620 coaches, 2,000 volunteers and 100,000 fans attending.
“There will be about 50 Irish Volunteers taking part. There are eight sports in Winter Games: Alpine Skiing, Cross Country Skiing, Dance Sports, Figure Skating, Floorball, Snowboarding, Snow Shoeing, Short Track Speed Skating.
“As a result of their success in Armagh, Ireland will be competing in Floorball and Alpine Skiing. There will be eight athletes from Munster competing in Floorball, including one from Tipperary and six in Alpine Skiing from Ulster, Munster and Eastern Region,” Mary revealed.
In March of this year, Mary was in Armagh as a Coach/Chaperone with Team Munster for the Ireland Winter Games.
Says Mary: “I was invited to fill a role of someone who unfortunately had to drop out. I took on the challenge and thoroughly enjoyed it. I was ‘adopted’ by Mallow United for the purpose of the Games. I attended some training sessions in advance where I got to meet the athletes, coaches and family members, which was a great help to me.”
FUNDS NEEDED
As Mary has accepted the invitation to volunteer at the World Winter Games next March, she now has to raise €3,000 for Special Olympics, Ireland.
She reveals: “I am part funding this myself. This will be the last time I will be going to a World Games. The people of Nenagh and surrounding areas have been extremely generous to me in the past. Should anyone wish to donate to the fund I have sponsorship cards and a fundraising page on idonate.ie.”
Mary plans to hold fundraising events in the near future, including raffles at Arrabawn Market on December 1 and at the Nenagh Arts Centre Market on December 14.
AWARD
Meanwhile, after decades volunteering for Special Olympics, it was no surprise to those who know of Mary’s dedication when news emerged that she had been nominated earlier this year for a special award in recognition of her huge contribution over many years.
“I was shocked to get a phone call telling me I would be getting an award this year,” she says.
At the Special Olympics Ireland Annual Volunteer Awards Ceremony held in Crowne Plaza Hotel in Dublin in September, she was presented with a Support Volunteer Award along with fellow volunteer Paddy Duffy from Newry.
Volunteers from all over Ireland attended the event, with many winning awards in various different categories.