Digicel showed its appreciation to hundreds of families, volunteers and Local Organising Committees from 23 countries in a celebration event in Los Angeles, California at the Westin Bonavenure Hotel on Friday, July 24. The dinner, held on the picturesque rooftop of the hotel was held to acknowledge the tremendous effort made by their guests over the past two years to get their respective teams to the Summer Games.
Volunteers and Special Olympics officials who took time off from the whirlwind pace of the Games to attend the event, were treated to a night off to relax before going into the Opening Ceremony to be held at the Los Angeles Coliseum on July 24. Many took the opportunity to reconnect with previous Games participants, swap stories and tokens ahead of the Games.
Digicel’s support of Special Olympics has been prolific over the past 15 years in many of its markets, with major financial injection in terms of athlete facilities, coaching, equipment, social inclusion projects through unified sporting activities such as the Digicel KickStart Clinics and the Caribbean Premier League tournaments and awareness programmes to advance the causes of those with special needs.
John Delves, Digicel’s Regional CEO, noted that; “Digicel’s involvement in Special Olympics and programmes for those with special needs has been filtered throughout the organisation from the helm – with the passion for special needs causes being championed by Digicel Chairman, Denis O’Brien. Digicel has prioritised special needs through our Foundations and in many of our other markets. However, the effort that we put in pales in comparison to the work of the coaches and volunteers and the relentless support of the families. It is Digicel’s honour to treat you and congratulate you for the great job you have done with the athletes both on and off the field.”
The celebration event was attended by several worldwide dignitaries who included: Samoa’s Minister for the Ministry of Women, Hon. Tolofuaivalelei Falemoe Leiataua; Her Excellency Ann Anderson, Irish Ambassador the US; Mary Davis, President of Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia and several delegation heads and countrypatrons.
In a moving presentation, Lorna Bell, Chairperson of Special Olympics Jamaica and Professor Alldrick McNabb, Patron of Special Olympics Jamaica (Football) presented a letter from the Jamaican Prime Minister, Portia Simpson Miller to Denis O’Brien and accepted on his behalf by John Delves – expressing her gratitude for Digicel’s support of the Jamaican team and their Special Olympics programmes. Ms. Bell and Mr. McNabb also presented photo montage of the highlights of the Jamaican contingent leading up the Games.