Issue #362 – Wednesday, 21 December, 2016
Albury Wodonga’s largest circulating newspaper
This is Conner’s Christmas CHRISTMAS came early for 12-year-old Conner and his mum Kylie, who were nominated to be the recipients of The Good Guys Merry Giftmas initiative.
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Special gold rush By Monique Kuzeff
Ovens and Murray Special Olympics athletes Kenny, Katrina, Stephanie and Matthew proudly wear their gold and silver medals. 163454 Picture: CONTRIBUTED “It’s another outlet for them to be part of society and be accepted. “A lot of the athletes were amazing and I think swam better than a lot of people without disability. “They always want to please, do training and participate and they want to engage and be accepted.” Ms Jones thanked Ovens and Murray Special Olympics coach Steve Rodgers for training the athletes, which saw them being selected to compete in New Zealand. “It’s the wonderful support that they get from the Oven and Murray committee, their parents and families and everything like that that makes it happen. “Without them it would make it very difficult for these people to participate in such a good quality sporting event.” Katrina won two gold medals in 50m backstroke and 50m relay and a silver in freestyle; Kenny won gold in 25m breaststroke and a silver in 50m breaststroke; and Matthew won two gold in 50m backstroke and 100m freestyle. For further information on Ovens and Murray Special Olympics, visit http://www.specialolympics.com. au/ovensandmurray
Jaydan Hartwig, Tina Heburn, Macey Heburn, Mackenzie Summerfield and April Summerfield enjoy the Wodonga Carols by Candlelight.
Wrapped up in Christmas spirit THE Albury Wodonga community is getting wrapped in the Christmas spirit as festive fun continues across the Border in the lead-up to Christmas. At the weekend, many friends, families and loved ones gathered at Willow Park in Wodonga for the annual Carols by Candlelight.There is still plenty to get up to on the events calender including Albury’s Carols by Candlelight which will be hitting QEII Square on Wednesday 21 December from 7pm to 9.30pm. Bring along your rug, chairs and best voices and join in on Albury’s most anticipated and loved community events which will most certainly be anything but a silent night. Turn to page 6 to see the festive spirit that engulged Wodonga at the Carols by Candlelight on Sunday.
FEBRUARY 10TH, 11TH, 12TH 2017 Schedules, pricing and bookings at reception 02 6057 2000 or visit www.commercialclubalbury.com.au
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FOUR deserving Border athletes recently returned from a trip to New Zealand with a number of gold medals in their possession. Oven and Murray Special Olympians Stephanie Duff, Matthew Manek, Katrina Thorpe and Kenny Fung were four of 16 athletes in Victoria with disabilities who were selected to compete in the annual Trans Tasman Tournament in Hamilton, New Zealand, last month. Some 160 Australian athletes competed at the event that provides people with intellectual disability the opportunity to participate in an international competition and celebrate their achievements and sportsmanship. Stephanie’s mum Lisa Jones, who came along to the event, said it was both a beneficial and wonderful experience for the athletes to participate in an international Special Olympics tournament. “These four represented this side of Victoria and they were really excited as it’s a wonderful experience for them all and they have achieved so much through it,” Ms Jones said. “To see them all have improved over the last couple of years has just been amazing. “My Stephanie came out of the three events she participated in with gold medals - I was extremely proud of her.” Stephanie participated in the 50m freestyle, 50m backstroke and 25m breaststroke taking out gold in all three events. Ms Jones said the Special Olympics enabled the athletes to develop their confidence and social skills in an active environment. “It gives them so much confidence and it’s a social outlet for them as well,” she said.