Kilkenny Kats Special Olympics Club held a successful fundraising launch this week in St Francis Abbey Cellar.
The new club was formed in early February of this year by parents and volunteers to cater for six- to 16-year-olds with an intellectual disability and is affiliated to Special Olympics Leinster. The club is a voluntary organisation and will rely completely on donations and fund raising activities in order to survive.
KKSOC held the launch on Wednesday April 7. It was hosted by Diageo and held in the Cellar of St Francis Abbey Brewery. All money donated will be match-funded by Diageo. This will go a long way to getting the club off to a great start. It was a very successful night and was attended by Mayor Malcolm Noonan, John McGuinness TD, and Senator John Paul Phelan.
KKSOC wants to give every child in Kilkenny city and county with an intellectual disability an opportunity to access a year round Special Olympics programme in their own community. KKSOC also seeks to provide opportunities to people with intellectual disabilities to develop skills, reach their potential, make new friends, and be a real part of their community.
At the moment the club is concentrating on basic motor skills of the athletes by means of circuit training, but it hopes to offer a wider variety of sports such as swimming, soccer, and badminton as the club develops.
The club also gives parents of children with special needs a chance to meet other parents in the same situation as themselves and offer support to each other.
KKSOC are currently looking for volunteers to help out at training sessions which at the moment take place every Thursday from 6pm to 7pm in Loreto Secondary School gym. Anybody interested can email kkspecialolympics@gmail.com for more information.
