Sometimes all it takes is a little support to change a life. It is with this in mind that Red Sail Sports Grand Cayman, a leading resort based dive and watersports operator, has been committed to the Special Olympics Program of the Cayman Islands (SOCI).
From the beginning when the SOCI was founded in 1987, Red Sail Sports has provided jobs for its athletes. There are two SOCI athletes currently on staff at Red Sail one of which is Andrew Smiley, the most-decorated Special Olympics athlete in the history of the Cayman Islands. Andrew works in the company’s retail department. The company accommodates his training and competition schedule.
One of Red Sail’s management, Operations Manager Rod McDowall has a special connection to the local competition and to Andrew. His wife Penny, a local school teacher is also a Special Olympics aquatics coach. She has watched Andrew compete over the years and says that he is as driven as any other athlete.
A fierce competitor, she watched Andrew win a silver medal with the best time he had recorded to that date during a competition in Ireland. He’s competed all over the world, including the World games in Ireland, China and Greece.
Most recently Red Sails Sports has signed on to be a Silver Sponsor for the first annual Eric Crutchley Memorial Golf Tournament, a fundraiser for the Special Olympics, in their continuing efforts to support these extraordinary athletes.
There are more than 70 Special Olympics athletes in the Cayman Islands, from ages 8 to 50 and above. The Cayman program is small but very well organized and active offering soccer, basketball, swimming, track and bocce for the athletes, and all the training and traveling takes money. Although SOCI organization is mostly volunteered driven, its 2012 budget to give the athletes the best quality year-round training and competition access is $100,000, so fund raising is critical.
In addition to sponsoring fundraising events and providing full time employment opportunities for the athletes, Red Sail Sports also helps the Lighthouse School with work experience programs.
For more info visit www.redsailcayman.com. ■
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