Civitan District East Conventioneers hear about the importance of their support
Special Olympics athlete and Global Messenger Kelley Burrows of Raleigh delivered an inspirational message August 27th that highlighted the positive impact that Special Olympics has had in her life thanks to support the Civitan District East provide year-after-year.
With help from her mother, Alice, Kelley entertained the crowd of more than 200 explaining that golf is one of her favorite sports. She noted that while many people celebrate getting a hole-in-one in golf, she recently played a course where she got a lake-in-one. With it hanging proudly around her neck, Kelley showed off her silver medal which she earned in golf during the 2010 Special Olympics National Summer Games held in July in Lincoln, Nebraska.
The Civitan District East provided more than $47,000 in funds for Special Olympics over the past year in addition to preparing more than 2,000 donated meals for the 2010 SONC Summer Games softball venue and family services. Kelley also thanked the Raleigh Civitan who make possible bowling for hundreds of local (Wake County) athletes.
SONC Board Chairman Bill Richardson, who also serves as the Civitan District East liaison for Special Olympics NC, opened the Special Olympics presentation by introducing SONC President/CEO Keith L. Fishburne. Keith highlighted several accomplishments over the past year and shared news about EKS Day (Eunice Kennedy Shriver) celebration at the Governor’s Mansion coming up in late September and the Special Olympics Project UNIFY initiatives. Fishburne welcomed any involvement in Project UNIFY by the Junior Civitan in high schools throughout the District.
The Special Olympics presentation was part of the opening dinner for the Civitan District East 45th Annual Convention which was held August 27-29 at the North Raleigh Hilton. Kelley, Bill and Keith presented awards to the District East clubs as part of the presentation for individual club fundraising activities.
