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“On behalf of our committee, I am very pleased to present you with this award and thank you for all of your efforts and money raised." — James Couvier, MGEU member and Chair of the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics
Winnipeg (10 June 2016) — The Young Members Standing Committee of the Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union (MGEU/NUPGE) has been involved in several Polar Plunge fundraising events over the years.
MGEU/NUPGE Young Members honoured for contributions to Special Olympics
On June 6 they were recognized by James Couvier, MGEU Corrections member and chair of the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Manitoba, for their contribution to Special Olympics Manitoba (SOM) through their Polar Plunge “Freezin’ for a Reason events.
“On behalf of our committee, I am very pleased to present you with this award and thank you for all of your efforts and money raised. We’ve had some good success with the polar plunge events are in the process of building a mobile plunge tank so these events can be held in more places across the province,” Couvier said.
Special Olympics week takes place from June 12–18 in Manitoba where athletes will complete in 18 different sports in seven regions throughout Manitoba.
History of the Law Enforcement Torch Run and Special Olympics
The Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) began in 1981 when Wichita, Kansas (USA), Police Chief Richard LaMunyon saw an urgent need to raise funds and increase awareness of Special Olympics.
LETR has grown from those early days into the largest, grassroots fundraising entity for Special Olympics. There are LETR programs in all 10 Canadian provinces and 3 territories as well as all 50 US states, and 35 other countries.
The Manitoba LETR has raised in excess of $2 million for Special Olympics Manitoba. All monies raised in Manitoba stay here in support of Manitobans with an intellectual disability who benefit through participation in sports under Special Olympics programs and activities.
While the Torch Run remains the flagship event for LETR, there are numerous other fundraising and awareness events throughout the year in support of Special Olympics including the Polar Plunge “Freezin’ for a Reason”.
NUPGE
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 360,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE