New Special Olympics chapter starts up in Labrador West

When Junior Humphries brought his grandson with cerebral palsy to summer camp a couple years ago and heard other campers and guardians gush about the Special Olympics, the deputy mayor of Labrador City got to work on a chapter for Labrador West.

The first official meetingtook place Wednesday night.

Eager athletes

"We had kids that were asking their parents, 'When is the next time we're going? Can we go tomorrow night?'" Humphries told CBC's Labrador Morning.

The group plans to get together every Wednesday for activities and, once a month, trydifferent sports like bowling, swimming and skiing.

"Seems to be a lot of interest in the athletes here," Humphries said adding his eight-year-old grandson"comes out of himself" when he plays sports.

"I think every kid, no matter what, deserves a chance to partake in the Games," he said.

Competition in Labrador

I think every kid, no matter what, deserves a chance to partake in the Games.- Junior Humphries

Acting as the club co-ordinator for Labrador West, Humphries hopes to grow the group to around 20 participants over the next four or five months.

He also plans to competeagainst the Special Olympics team in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.