THE Kerry Stars Special Olympics Club, which recently unveiled exciting plans for a new €10 million sports and adventure centre in Killarney, will today take up a vital collection in the town to help its athletes achieve their goals.
The major fundraiser, part of a nationwide campaign, will help create a fund to allow members to compete in the Irish Special Olympics games in Limerick in mid June and the prestigious world games in Los Angeles in 2015.
People in Killarney who encounter the street collection teams are asked to give as generously as possible or, alternatively, texting the word Special to 50300 will automatically donate €2 to the cause.
Several athletes from the greater Killarney area will be among the 1,500 participants competing at the Irish games from June 12-15 and they will be hoping to go one step further by qualifying for LA where President Barack Obama will be waiting to greet them.
Class
If the planning process is successful, the proposed €10 million development, at Ballydribeen, will become an impressive base for the Kerry Stars and serve as a world class centre of excellence for people with physical or intellectual disabilities.
Detailed plans for the 4.7-acre development have been submitted to the town council and the state-of-the-art facilities planned include an indoor sports arena and gymnasium, a bowling alley, a seven-a-side indoor pitch, an adventure course and changing facilities.
The development would also incorporate physiotherapy and first aid rooms, counselling and occupational therapy facilities, a social hub and café, offices, a boardroom and a sensory garden.
Finance
The developers hope to finance the project through corporate donations and fundraising and those involved hope it could be up and running before 2022.
The Kerry Stars Special Olympics Club was formed in September 2002 by a group of families to provide athletes with special needs the opportunity to be productive and respected members of society through participation in sports.
