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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
Speakers: Austin Green, Vashni Thompson, Latonia Rahming, and DeangeBullard.
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The 2015 LETR International Conference was recently held at Atlantis Paradise Island, October 1-3, where four Special Olympics athletes got the opportunity of a lifetime to show off their "ABILITIES". Special Olympics Athletes and Global Messengers Austin Green, Latonia Rahming, Vashni Thompson and Deangelo Bullard all participated in the conference as "Featured Athlete Speakers", where they got to share their stories, as well as introduce various other local and international speakers during the conference.
Our athletes all received standing ovations at the conclusion of their speeches and were showered with positive and encouraging remarks throughout the conference, as well as on the Special Olympics Bahamas Facebook page. As athletes, they train and compete in various sporting disciplines both locally and internationally, with Austin and Deangelo having recently competed in the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Los Angeles, California.
As Global Messengers, they are trained in public speaking, where they are encouraged to share their personal stories, encourage other persons with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) to join the Special Olympics Movement, and to spread the message of inclusion and equal opportunities for persons with ID.
This year's conference saw close to one thousand registered attendees and included speakers such as Prime Minister the Right Honourable Perry G. Christie, COP Ellison Greenslade, Pauline Davis Thompson and Wichita, Kansas Police Chief Richard LaMunyon, who organized the very first Law Enforcement Torch Run back in 1981.
The LETR is made up of law enforcement officers from 50 US states, 12 Canadian provinces and 35 nations around the world. At the core, they are a run organization, providing torch runs for local, national and international Special Olympics games. They are also the largest fund raisers for Special Olympics programs in their respective jurisdictions. The officers also serve in various capacities in their local Special Olympics programs such as volunteer coaches, mentors and Unified Partners.
© Copyright 2015 by thebahamasweekly.com
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