LAC LA BICHE – Jenna Marie Wendland would like to see the Special Olympics program brought back to the Lac La Biche area.
Wendland, who lives in Plamondon and has two autistic sons, Grayson and Bodhi, has been working to raise awareness about Special Olympics, and organization that provides athletic training and competition for people with intellectual disabilities.
Wendland believes Special Olympics is beneficial for children with special needs, and the program gives them the opportunity to participate in sports and make friends.
“Sport creates discipline, friendships, socialization,” she says.
Being involved with Special Olympics is also fun for kids and allows them to compete at their own pace.
“They get to participate in sport, but if they don’t swim straight across the pool, or if they don’t have the greatest form, it’s OK.”
This past year, when her second child was diagnosed with autism, Wendland met with an occupational therapist who was the inspiration for her to start advocating for local kids with developmental disabilities.
Having a developmental coordination disorder makes doing sports difficult for her sons, who both enjoy swimming and other water sports.
“Their coordination is not that of a neurotypical child,” she says.
According to Wendland, if children with special needs living in the Lac La Biche area want to participate in athletic programs through Special Olympics, they need to travel outside the area.
Wendland has been working to drum up interest among the residents of Lac La Biche, as well as with local community service organizations. The Lac La Biche chapter for Special Olympics has not been operational since 2022.
Wendland is hoping to get the program established in Lac La Biche by 2026.
“I’m trying to get people and families to be like, ‘Hey yeah, this would be really good for my kid. How can I help bring it back’,” she says. “I’m trying to get community involvement on all fronts at this point.”
If Special Olympics is brought to the Lac La Biche area, it would essentially be at no cost to parents as supporting groups would partner to help raise money for the program through fundraising initiatives, and by sponsoring events, says Wendland.
According to Wendland, having a local Special Olympics program would benefit children with special needs because it provides them with more individual instruction and training.
Using an example, Wendland explains that her kids are unable to participate in swim lessons in a group setting, which means she must pay for private lessons.
“For them to join the swim team, it’s not really feasible either . . . They’re not at that level of competing,” she says.
Special Olympics, she hopes, could soon give people in Lac La Biche the motivation to try a new sport.
