This award will be presented annually to Canada's most outstanding athletes.

 

NOMINATIONS

Each Special Olympics Chapter Office is encouraged to nominate two (2) athletes whom they feel are worthy of receiving this prestigious award and meet all of the Award Criteria. Nominations must be endorsed by the Special Olympics Chapter Office and forwarded to Special Olympics Canada by JULY 7, 2023. All nominations must be accompanied by a nomination form, one (1) letter of reference and a passport size photo. The letter of reference must be written by someone other than the nominator (this includes all SO staff members) but can be endorsed and/or signed by multiple individuals. If so staff members wish to provide feedback on a nominee this should be done on the nomination form itself.

 

The Special Olympics Canada National Awards Committee will carefully review the nominations, and select six (6) finalists for High Performance Athletes of the Year. The finalists' names will then be forwarded to the Canadian Athlete Leadership Council (CALC) for review. The CALC will be responsible for selecting two (2) athletes and forwarding their selection to Special Olympics Canada. In the event of a tie, the candidate who was ranked higher by the National Awards Committee will be declared the winner. If the National Awards Committee's rankings of the individuals in question also resulted in a tie, the award shall be presented to multiple recipients. Award recipients will be notified immediately by Special Olympics Canada.

 

AWARD CRITERIA (for the period of July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023)

Nominations will be judged on the strength of their submission by the following criteria:

1. PARTICIPATION
   • The nominee must be a registered athlete in a Special Olympics sport and/or virtual program, event or activities.
   • The nominee must be involved in Special Olympics sport program(s) throughout the year.
   • The nominee's competition pathway must have included National Games/Qualifying Event and World Games (if applicable)
2. ATHLETIC AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
   • The nominee must be successful in their sport, doing their personal best to achieve their athletic goal.
   • The nominee must demonstrate improvement in athletic skill.
   • The nominee must demonstrate improvement in personal growth and development.
3. SPORTSMANSHIP
   
   • The nominee must exemplify the true spirit of Special Olympics.

   • The nominee must display sportsmanship and be considerate of fellow athletes, coaches and officials.

   • The nominee must consistently act as a role model for other Special Olympics

4. ADDITIONAL NOTE

   • Current Special Olympics Staff, at the National and/or Chapter, Regional and Community level are not eligible for nomination. A former staff can only be nominated starting 12 months after the termination of their staff position tenure. If a former staff member is nominated, this individual will be considered based only on their contributions prior to and/or following the termination of their employment by Special Olympics.
     • Current Provincial/Territorial and SOC Board Members are not eligible for nomination. Former Provincial/Territorial and SOC Board Members can only be nominated starting 12 months after the termination of their Board tenure.
     • The National Awards Committee will use discretion to deal with exceptions to the award criteria as they arise.

 

AWARD RECOGNITION

This award will be presented to the recipients at the Special Olympics Canada Awards evening.

Please complete the following information in support of this nomination.

 

This award will be presented annually to Canada's most outstanding sports team.

NOMINATIONS

 

Each Special Olympics Chapter Office is encouraged to nominate one (1) sports team whom they feel is worthy of receiving this prestigious award and meets all of the Award Criteria. Nominations must be endorsed by the Special Olympics Chapter Office and forwarded to Special Olympics Canada by JULY 7, 2023. All nominations must be accompanied by a nomination form, one (1) letter of reference and a passport size photo. The letter of reference must be written by someone other than the nominator (this includes all so staff members) but can be endorsed and/or signed by multiple individuals. If so staff members wish to provide feedback on a nominee this should be done on the nomination form itself.

 

Please be advised that only the team sports of basketball, floor hockey, soccer, curling and softball shall be eligible for this award.

 

The Special Olympics Canada National Awards Committee will carefully review the nominations, and select three (3) team finalists for this award. The finalists' names will then be forwarded to the Canadian Athlete Leadership Council (CALC) for review. The CALC will be responsible for selecting one team and forwarding their selection to Special Olympics Canada for final tabulation. In the event of a tie, the team who was ranked higher by the National Awards Committee will be declared the winner. If the National Awards Committee's rankings of the teams in question also resulted in a tie, the award shall be presented to multiple recipients. Award recipients will be notified immediately by Special Olympics Canada.

 

AWARD CRITERIA (for the period of July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023)

 

The nominated team must...

• Be a registered team in a Special Olympics program and/or virtual program, event or activities;
• Be involved in a Special Olympics sport program(s) throughout the year;
• Be successful in their sport, doing their personal best to achieve their athletic goal;
• Exemplify the true spirit of Special Olympics; and
• Display sportsmanship and be considerate of fellow teams, athletes, coaches and officials.

 

ADDITIONAL NOTE

• If an SOC Board member or other voting member is nominated as part of a team nomination (e.g., the Canadian Athlete Leadership Council Chair), this individual will be removed from the voting process.
• The National Awards Committee will use discretion to deal with exceptions to the award criteria as they arise.

 

AWARD RECOGNITION

This award will be presented to the recipients at the Special Olympics Canada Awards evening.

This Award is made available by Special Olympics Canada for presentation to an athlete who has best exemplified the spirit, philosophy and goals of the Special Olympics movement over the course of their career.

 

NOMINATIONS

Each Special Olympics Chapter Office is encouraged to nominate one athlete whom they feel is worthy of receiving this prestigious Award and meets all of the Award Criteria.  Nominations must be endorsed by the Special Olympics Chapter Office and forwarded to Special Olympics Canada by JULY 7, 2023. All nominations must be accompanied by a nomination form, one (1) letter of reference and a passport size photo. The letter of reference must be written by someone other than the nominator (this includes all SO staff members) but can be endorsed and/or signed by multiple individuals. If SO staff members wish to provide feedback on a nominee this should be done on the nomination form itself.

 

The Special Olympics Canada National Awards Committee will carefully review the nominations and select one (1) finalist for this award.  The finalist’s name will be submitted to the Special Olympics Canada Board of Directors at their September Board Meeting for final endorsement. At the discretion of the Board, nominations may be kept on file at SOC and considered in the year in which they are submitted, as well as the following 2 years. Every year, SOC will check with the nominators of any carryover nominations to see if they would still like the nomination to be considered.

 

Please be advised that in order to maintain the integrity of this Award, it will only be presented if the nominations submitted to the Special Olympics Canada National Awards Committee are deemed suitable. Therefore, this Award may not be issued annually. If the Special Olympics Canada Board of Directors feels that there are multiple nominees that are deserving of the Award in a given year, they have the discretion to select multiple winners.

 

AWARD CRITERIA

Nominations will be judged on the strength of their submission by the following criteria:

1. PARTICIPATION
   • The nominee must be/have been a registered athlete in a Special Olympics sport club for a minimum of 10 years.
2. ATHLETIC AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
   • The nominee must have demonstrated success in their sport(s), doing their personal best to achieve their athletic goals.
   • The nominee must have demonstrated a dedication to improve their athletic skill over the course of their career.
   • The nominee must have demonstrated improvement in personal growth and development over the course of their career.
3. SPORTSMANSHIP
   
   • The nominee must exemplify/have exemplified the true spirit of Special Olympics.

   • The nominee must display/have displayed sportsmanship and be considerate of fellow athletes, coaches and officials.

   • The nominee must consistently act as a role model for other Special Olympics

4. ADDITIONAL NOTE

   • Current Special Olympics Staff, at the National and/or Chapter, Regional and Community level are not eligible for nomination. A former staff can only be nominated starting 12 months after the termination of their staff position tenure. If a former staff member is nominated, this individual will be considered based only on their contributions prior to and/or following the termination of their employment by Special Olympics.
     • Current Provincial/Territorial and SOC Board Members are not eligible for nomination. Former Provincial/Territorial and SOC Board Members can only be nominated starting 12 months after the termination of their Board tenure.
     • The National Awards Committee will use discretion to deal with exceptions to the award criteria as they arise.

 

AWARD RECOGNITION

This award will be presented to the recipients at the Special Olympics Canada Awards evening.

Please complete the following information in support of this nomination.

 

This award will be presented annually to Canada's most outstanding coaches..

 

NOMINATIONS

Each Special Olympics Chapter office is encouraged to nominate two (2) coaches whom they feel are worthy of receiving this prestigious award. Nominations must be endorsed by the Special Olympics Chapter Office and forwarded to Special Olympics Canada by JULY 7, 2023. All nominations must be accompanied by a nomination form, one (1) letter of reference and a passport size photo. The letter of reference must be written by someone other than the nominator (this includes all SO staff members) but can be endorsed and/or signed by multiple individuals. If SO staff members wish to provide feedback on a nominee this should be done on the nomination form itself.

 

The Special Olympics Canada National Awards Committee will carefully review the nominations, and select the top six (6) nominees for the Coaches of the Year.  The finalists' names will then be forwarded to all Chapter Offices for review. The Chapter Offices will have two weeks to confer with their constituents and forward their selection to Special Olympics Canada for final tabulation. In the event of a tie, the candidate who was ranked higher by the National Awards Committee will be declared the winner. If the National Awards Committee’s rankings of the individuals in question also resulted in a tie, the award shall be presented to multiple recipients. Award recipients will be notified immediately by Special Olympics Canada.

 

AWARD CRITERIA (for the period of July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023)

Nominations will be judged on the strength of their submission by the following criteria:

1. PARTICIPATION
   • The nominee must be a registered coach in a Special Olympics sport and/or virtual program, event or activities.

   • The nominee must be involved in at least one Special Olympics sport program.

2. CONTRIBUTION TO SPORT IN SPECIAL OLYMPICS
   • Contributed to the overall organization, promotion and development of sport in Special Olympics
3.  COACHING EFFECTIVENESS
   • Effective in assisting the athlete to achieve their personal goals in sport, ethical and progressive in sport
4. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
   • Involved in personal development and coaching education
5. LEADERSHIP
   • A positive role model for the athlete and for other coaches, provides stable and consistent leadership qualities, practices co-operation, self-discipline, respect for officials and opponents, and proper attitudes in language, dress and deportment
6. ADDITIONAL NOTE
   
   • Current Special Olympics Staff, at the National and/or Chapter, Regional and Community level are not eligible for nomination. A former staff can only be nominated starting 12 months after the termination of their staff position tenure. If a former staff member is nominated, this individual will be considered based only on their contributions prior to and/or following the termination of their employment by Special Olympics.
     • Current Provincial/Territorial and SOC Board Members are not eligible for nomination. Former Provincial/Territorial and SOC Board Members can only be nominated starting 12 months after the termination of their Board tenure.
     • The National Awards Committee will use discretion to deal with exceptions to the award criteria as they arise.

 

AWARD RECOGNITION

This award will be presented to the recipients at the Special Olympics Canada Awards evening.

Please complete the following information in support of this nomination.

 

This award will be presented annually to Canada's most outstanding Rising Star Coach. This award focuses on young coaches, under the age of 25, who have demonstrated a commitment to the organization, created an early impact through their coaching roles, and who display the potential to have a positive and lasting impact in the future.

 

NOMINATIONS

Each Special Olympics Chapter office is encouraged to nominate one (1) coach whom they feel is worthy of receiving this prestigious award. Nominations must be endorsed by the Special Olympics Chapter Office and forwarded to Special Olympics Canada by JULY 1, 2023. All nominations must be accompanied by a nomination form, one (1) letter of reference and a passport size photo. The letter of reference must be written by someone other than the nominator (this includes all SO staff members) but can be endorsed and/or signed by multiple individuals. If SO staff members wish to provide feedback on a nominee this should be done on the nomination form itself.

 

The Special Olympics Canada National Awards Committee will carefully review the nominations and select the top three (3) nominees for the Rising Star Coach of the Year.  The finalists' names will then be forwarded to all Chapter Offices for review. The Chapter Offices will have two weeks to confer with their constituents and forward their selection to Special Olympics Canada for final tabulation. In the event of a tie, the candidate who was ranked higher by the National Awards Committee will be declared the winner. If the National Awards Committee’s rankings of the individuals in question also resulted in a tie, the award shall be presented to multiple recipients. Award recipients will be notified immediately by Special Olympics Canada.

 

AWARD CRITERIA (for the period of July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023)

Nominations will be judged on the strength of their submission by the following criteria:

1. PARTICIPATION
   • The nominee must be a registered coach (assistant or head coach) under the age of 25, for a Special Olympics sport and/or virtual program

   • The nominee must have been a Special Olympics coach for less than 5 years

   • Additional years as an operational volunteer do not count towards the 5 years as a registered coach
2. CONTRIBUTION TO SPORT IN SPECIAL OLYMPICS
   • Contributed to the overall organization, promotion and development of sport in Special Olympics
   • Demonstrates the potential to create a significant positive impact through their Special Olympics coaching role in the future
3.  COACHING EFFECTIVENESS
   • Effective in assisting the athlete to achieve their personal goals in sport, ethical and progressive in sport
4. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
   • Involved in personal development and coaching education
5. LEADERSHIP
   • A positive role model for the athlete and for other coaches, provides stable and consistent leadership qualities, practices co-operation, self-discipline, respect for officials and opponents, and proper attitudes in language, dress and deportment
6. ADDITIONAL NOTE
   
   • Current Special Olympics Staff, at the National and/or Chapter, Regional and Community level are not eligible for nomination. A former staff can only be nominated starting 12 months after the termination of their staff position tenure. If a former staff member is nominated, this individual will be considered based only on their contributions prior to and/or following the termination of their employment by Special Olympics.
     • Current Provincial/Territorial and SOC Board Members are not eligible for nomination. Former Provincial/Territorial and SOC Board Members can only be nominated starting 12 months after the termination of their Board tenure.
     • The National Awards Committee will use discretion to deal with exceptions to the award criteria as they arise.

 

AWARD RECOGNITION

This award will be presented to the recipients at the Special Olympics Canada Awards evening.

Please complete the following information in support of this nomination.

 

Special Olympics Canada makes this award available for annual presentation to an operational volunteer who has made a significant contribution to the Special Olympics movement locally, provincially, and/or nationally, and has best exemplified the spirit, philosophy and goals of Special Olympics Canada.

NOMINATIONS

 

Each Special Olympics Chapter Office is encouraged to nominate one (1) operational volunteer who is deemed worthy of this prestigious award and who meets all of the Award Criteria. Each nominee must be endorsed by the Special Olympics Chapter Office and forwarded to Special Olympics Canada by JULY 7, 2023. The letter of reference must be written by someone other than the nominator (this includes all SO staff members) but can be endorsed and/or signed by multiple individuals. If SO staff members wish to provide feedback on a nominee this should be done on the nomination form itself.

 

The Special Olympics Canada National Awards Committee will carefully review the nominations and select three (3) finalists for this award.  The finalists' names will then be forwarded to all Special Olympics Chapter Offices for review.  Each Special Olympics Chapter Office will be responsible for selecting one (1) individual and forwarding their selection to Special Olympics Canada for final tabulation. In the event of a tie, the candidate who was ranked higher by the National Awards Committee will be declared the winner. If the National Awards Committee’s rankings of the individuals in question also resulted in a tie, the award shall be presented to multiple recipients. The Award recipient will be notified immediately by Special Olympics Canada.

 

AWARD CRITERIA

 

• The nominee must be registered with a Special Olympics program or virtual program, event or activities.

• Special Olympics operational volunteers who have made a significant lifetime contribution will be considered. Service clubs or corporations are not eligible.

• The nominee should be known and highly respected within their region, Chapter and/or across Canada.

• The nominee should illustrate strong leadership and have made an outstanding contribution in one or more of the following areas: sport, marketing/fundraising, administration, major games, other.

• The nominee should be dedicated to the Special Olympics movement and should display characteristics of integrity and exemplary personal conduct.

• The nominee should have a minimum of five (5) years of service as a Special Olympics volunteer.

 

ADDITIONAL NOTE

• If an SOC Board member or other voting member is nominated as part of a team nomination (e.g., the Canadian Athlete Leadership Council Chair), this individual will be removed from the voting process.
• The National Awards Committee will use discretion to deal with exceptions to the award criteria as they arise.

 

AWARD RECOGNITION

This award will be presented to the recipients at the Special Olympics Canada Awards evening.

Frank Selke was a tremendous supporter of Special Olympics in Canada. His ability to forge and nurture personal relationships and to educate prospective supporters about the value of the work done by Special Olympics was unmatched. He was a master not only at advancing the movement but in thanking supporters regularly and sincerely. We honour his memory through the Frank Selke Fundraising Volunteer of the Year Award in recognition of those individuals who make a significant contribution to Special Olympics in the area of fundraising.

 

Special Olympics Canada makes this award available for annual presentation to a fundraising volunteer(s) who has made a significant contribution to the Special Olympics movement locally, provincially, and/or nationally, and has best exemplified the spirit, philosophy and goals of Special Olympics Canada.

NOMINATIONS

 

Each Special Olympics Chapter Office is encouraged to nominate one fundraising volunteer, or group, who is deemed worthy of this prestigious award and who meets all of the Award Criteria. Each nominee(s) must be endorsed by the Special Olympics Chapter Office and forwarded to Special Olympics Canada by JULY 7, 2023. All nominations must be accompanied by a nomination form, one (1) letter of reference and a passport size photo. The letter of reference must be written by someone other than the nominator (this includes all SO staff members) but can be endorsed and/or signed by multiple individuals. If SO staff members wish to provide feedback on a nominee this should be done on the nomination form itself.

 

In the event that a group of fundraising volunteers is deemed the recipients of this award, a total of two (2) representatives plus one (1) guest each will be invited to receive the award at the Awards Night hosted by Special Olympics Canada.

 

The Special Olympics Canada National Awards Committee will carefully review the nominations and select three (3) finalists for this award.  The finalists' names will then be forwarded to all Special Olympics Chapter Offices for review.  Each Special Olympics Chapter Office will be responsible for selecting one (1) individual or group and forwarding their selection to Special Olympics Canada for final tabulation.  In the event of a tie, the candidate who was ranked higher by the National Awards Committee will be declared the winner. If the National Awards Committee’s rankings of the individuals in question also resulted in a tie, the award shall be presented to multiple recipients. The Award recipient will be notified immediately by Special Olympics Canada.

 

AWARD CRITERIA

 

• Only Special Olympics volunteer(s) who have made a significant fundraising contribution through Special Olympics will be considered. 

• The nominee(s) should be known and highly respected within their region, Chapter and/or across Canada.

• The nominee(s) should illustrate strong leadership and have made an outstanding contribution in raising funds for Special Olympics.

• The nominee(s) should be dedicated to the Special Olympics movement and should display characteristics of integrity and exemplary personal conduct.

   

 

ADDITIONAL NOTE

• If an SOC Board member or other voting member is nominated as part of a team nomination (e.g., the Canadian Athlete Leadership Council Chair), this individual will be removed from the voting process.
• Current Provincial/Territorial and SOC Board Members are not eligible for nomination. Former Provincial/Territorial and SOC Board Members can only be nominated starting 12 months after the termination of their Board tenure.
• The National Awards Committee will use discretion to deal with exceptions to the award criteria as they arise.

 

AWARD RECOGNITION

This award will be presented to the recipients at the Special Olympics Canada Awards evening.

Mr. Harry "Red" Foster, founder of Special Olympics Canada, was an outstanding sportsman, radio broadcast pioneer, entrepreneur, successful businessman, humanitarian and philanthropist.  A lifetime of tireless effort on behalf of individuals with an intellectual disability provided the cornerstone for the formation of this organization.  A man of boundless energy, filled with compassion and dedication to the welfare of his fellowman, we honour his memory through the Harry "Red" Foster Award in recognition of meritorious service to individuals with an intellectual disability.

 

This Award is presented by Special Olympics Canada to an individual, volunteer or group who best exemplifies the spirit, philosophy and goals of the Special Olympics movement.  Like Mr. Foster, the nominee will have contributed significantly to the development, awareness and success of Special Olympics in Canada.

 

Please be advised that in order to maintain the integrity of this award, and the individual that it represents, the Harry “Red” Foster Award will only be presented if the nominations submitted to the Special Olympics Canada Board of Directors are deemed suitable. Therefore, this Award may not be issued annually.

NOMINATIONS

 

Special Olympics Chapter Offices, Provincial/Territorial Board of Directors, Special Olympics Canada Board of Directors, or others are encouraged to nominate an individual whom is deemed worthy of this prestigious award and who meets all of the Award Criteria.

 

Nominations forwarded:

• By a Special Olympics Chapter or Provincial/Territorial Board Member, must be endorsed by the respective Office or at least one Provincial/Territorial Board Member.
• By a member of the Special Olympics Canada Board of Directors, must be endorsed by at least one other National Board Member.
• From another source, must be endorsed by at least one member of the Special Olympics Canada Board of Directors to be eligible for consideration.

 

The Special Olympics Canada National Awards Committee will carefully review the nominations and select one (1) finalist for this award. The finalist's name will then be submitted to the Special Olympics Canada Board of Directors at their September Board Meeting for final endorsement. At the discretion of the Board, nominations may be kept on file at SOC and considered in the year in which they are submitted, as well as the following 2 years. Every year, SOC will check with the nominators of any carryover nominations to see if they would still like the nomination to be considered. 

 

Nominations must be accompanied by a Nomination Form, one (1) letter of reference and a passport size photo, submitted to Special Olympics Canada by JULY 7, 2023. The letter of reference must be written by someone other than the nominator (this includes all SO staff members) but can be endorsed and/or signed by multiple individuals. If SO staff members wish to provide feedback on a nominee this should be done on the nomination form itself.

 

AWARD CRITERIA 

To be considered for this Award:

• The nominee(s) has made a significant lifetime contribution to the Movement. Service clubs or corporations are not eligible.

• The nominee(s) is well known and highly regarded within their Special Olympics Chapter and/or across Canada.

• The nominee(s) has illustrated strong leadership in their Special Olympics Chapter and/or throughout Canada and has made an outstanding contribution in one or more of the following areas: sport development, marketing/fundraising, administration, major games, other.

• The nominee(s) is dedicated to the Special Olympics movement and displays characteristics of integrity and exemplary personal conduct.

   

 ADDITIONAL NOTE

• If an SOC Board member or other voting member is nominated as part of a team nomination (e.g., the Canadian Athlete Leadership Council Chair), this individual will be removed from the voting process.
• Current Provincial/Territorial and SOC Board Members are not eligible for nomination. Former Provincial/Territorial and SOC Board Members can only be nominated starting 12 months after the termination of their Board tenure.
• The National Awards Committee will use discretion to deal with exceptions to the award criteria as they arise.

 

AWARD RECOGNITION

This award will be presented to the recipients at the Special Olympics Canada Awards evening.

This Award is made available by Special Olympics Canada for presentation to a Law Enforcement Torch Run representative who best exemplifies the spirit, philosophy, dedication and goals of the Law Enforcement Torch Run and the Special Olympics movement.

 

This national award has been named in memory of Detective Constable Robert Plunkett who lost his life in the line of duty in August of 2007. Detective Constable Robert Plunkett, a 22-year veteran of York Regional Police, was a leader in both the community and the Special Olympics organization. Detective Constable Rob Plunkett was an outstanding sportsman, police officer, family man and exemplary Law Enforcement Torch runner. 

 

Rob was involved with the Law Enforcement Torch Run for over 15 years from the grassroots to the international level. Rob started as a runner, then transitioned to a Local Coordinator and soon he became the York Regional Coordinator.  Rob took his leadership skills and applied them in his role as a Law Enforcement Torch Run Route Coordinator and Zone Co-coordinator for the Province of Ontario. In 1997, Rob was the Co-Director of the Law Enforcement Torch Run Final Leg for the 1997 Special Olympics World Winter Games (Toronto/Collingwood, Ontario). The Final Leg included over 100 law enforcement personnel from over 60 countries. This role inspired him and through his long standing support of Special Olympics, he also served as the Chairman of the 2000 Special Olympics Ontario Provincial Games. Through his leadership, $1.7 million was raised for the Special Olympic Games leaving a lasting legacy in his community. In addition, as a result of his devotion and support, the Law Enforcement Torch Run has grown significantly raising funds and awareness for athletes with an intellectual disability. 

 

Like Detective Constable Rob Plunkett, the nominee will have contributed significantly to the development, awareness and financial success of Law Enforcement Torch Run programs in Canada. This national Rob Plunkett Law Enforcement Torch Run Award has been developed to recognize the tremendous contribution by the law enforcement community to the awareness and financial stability of Special Olympics in Canada.

 

Please be advised that in order to maintain the integrity of this Award, and the individual that it represents, the Rob Plunkett Law Enforcement Torch Run Award will only be presented if the nominations submitted are deemed suitable by the National Law Enforcement Torch Run Advisory Committee and the Special Olympics Canada Board of Directors.  Therefore, this Award may not be issued annually.

NOMINATIONS

Any constituent group may nominate a Law Enforcement Torch Run representative.   Please note that both law enforcement personnel volunteers and civilian volunteers may be nominated.

 

Nominations forwarded:

• By a Law Enforcement Torch Run representative must be endorsed by the respective Chapter Special Olympics Office or at least one Provincial/Territorial Board Member.

• By a Special Olympics Chapter or Provincial/Territorial Board Member must be endorsed by the respective Office and at least one Provincial/Territorial Board Member.

• By a member of the Special Olympics’ Canada Board of Directors must be endorsed by at least one other National Board Member and a LETR Chapter representative.

• By a member of the National Law Enforcement Torch Run Advisory Committee must be endorsed by at least one member of the Special Olympics’ Canada Board of Directors and a LETR Chapter representative to be eligible for consideration.

• By the Law Enforcement Torch Run Canadian Co-coordinator must be endorsed by at least one other National Board Member and a LETR Chapter representative.

• From another source must be endorsed by at least one member of the Special Olympics’ Canada Board of Directors and a LETR Chapter representative to be eligible for consideration.

 

Nominations will be reviewed and selected by the National Law Enforcement Torch Run Advisory Committee and then submitted to the Special Olympics Canada Board of Directors for final endorsement.

At the discretion of the LETR Committee, nominations may be kept on file at SOC and considered in the year in which they are submitted, as well as the following 2 years. Every year, SOC will check with the nominators of any carryover nominations to see if they would still like the nomination to be considered.

Nominations must be accompanied by a Nomination Form, one (1) letter of reference, and a passport size photo. Nominations must be forwarded to Special Olympics Canada by JULY 7, 2023. The letter of reference must be written by someone other than the nominator (this includes all SO staff members) but can be endorsed and/or signed by multiple individuals. If SO staff members wish to provide feedback on a nominee this should be done on the nomination form itself.

 

AWARD CRITERIA 

To be considered for this Award:

• The nominee has made a significant lifetime contribution to the Law Enforcement Torch Run.

• The nominee is well known and highly regarded within their Law Enforcement Torch Run program; Special Olympics Chapter and/or across Canada.

• The nominee has illustrated strong leadership in developing a strong and sustainable Law Enforcement Torch Run program in their Chapter and/or throughout Canada and has made an outstanding contribution in one or more of the following areas: awareness; fundraising; Final Leg; Major Games; new initiatives; truck convoy; polar bear plunge, etc.

• The nominee is dedicated to the Law Enforcement Torch Run program and the Special Olympics movement and displays characteristics of integrity and exemplary personal conduct.

• Current Special Olympics Staff, at the National and/or Chapter, Regional and Community level are not eligible for nomination. A former staff can only be nominated starting 12 months after the termination of their staff position tenure. If a former staff member is nominated, this individual will be considered based only on their contributions prior to and/or following the termination of their employment by Special Olympics.

• Current Provincial/Territorial and SOC Board Members are not eligible for nomination. Former Provincial/Territorial and SOC Board Members can only be nominated starting 12 months after the termination of their Board tenure.

• The LETR Committee will use discretion to deal with exceptions to the award criteria as they arise.

   

 ADDITIONAL NOTE

• Current Special Olympics Staff, at the National and/or Chapter, Regional and Community level are not eligible for nomination. A former staff can only be nominated starting 12 months after the termination of their staff position tenure. If a former staff member is nominated, this individual will be considered based only on their contributions prior to and/or following the termination of their employment by Special Olympics.

• Current Provincial/Territorial and SOC Board Members are not eligible for nomination. Former Provincial/Territorial and SOC Board Members can only be nominated starting 12 months after the termination of their Board tenure.

• This award will be presented to the recipients virtually at the Special Olympics Canada Awards evening.

 

AWARD RECOGNITION

This award will be presented to the recipients at the Special Olympics Canada Awards evening.

This award will be presented annually to Canada's most outstanding community athletes.

 

NOMINATIONS

Each Special Olympics Chapter Office is encouraged to nominate one (1) athlete whom they feel is worthy of receiving this prestigious award and meets all of the Award Criteria. Nominations must be endorsed by the Special Olympics Chapter Office and forwarded to Special Olympics Canada by JULY 14, 2023. All nominations must be accompanied by a nomination form, one (1) letter of reference and a passport size photo. The letter of reference must be written by someone other than the nominator (this includes all SO staff members) but can be endorsed and/or signed by multiple individuals. If SO staff members wish to provide feedback on a nominee this should be done on the nomination form itself.

 

The Special Olympics Canada National Awards Committee will carefully review the nominations, and select three (3) finalists for Community Excellence Award. The finalists' names will then be forwarded to the Canadian Athlete Leadership Council (CALC) for review. The CALC will be responsible for selecting one (1) athlete and forwarding their selection to Special Olympics Canada. In the event of a tie, the candidate who was ranked higher by the National Awards Committee will be declared the winner. If the National Awards Committee’s rankings of the individuals in question also resulted in a tie, the award shall be presented to multiple recipients. Award recipients will be notified immediately by Special Olympics Canada.

 

AWARD CRITERIA (for the period of July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023)

Nominations will be judged on the strength of their submission by the following criteria:

1. PARTICIPATION
   • The nominee must be a registered athlete in a Special Olympics sport and/or virtual program, event or activities.
   • The nominee must be involved in Special Olympics sport program(s) throughout the year.
   • The nominee's competition pathway can include local/regional and Provincial/Territorial Games or qualifying events.
2. ATHLETIC AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
   • The nominee must show dedication, enthusiasm and a positive attitude in their chosen sport(s) and programs and always give their best effort.
   • The nominee must demonstrate improvement in personal growth and development.
3. SPORTSMANSHIP
   
   • The nominee must exemplify the true spirit of Special Olympics.
   • The nominee must display sportsmanship and be considerate of fellow athletes, coaches and officials.

   • The nominee must consistently act as a role model for other Special Olympics athletes.

   • The nominee should include a positive impact on the community.

4. ADDITIONAL NOTE

   • Current Special Olympics Staff, at the National and/or Chapter, Regional and Community level are not eligible for nomination. A former staff can only be nominated starting 12 months after the termination of their staff position tenure. If a former staff member is nominated, this individual will be considered based only on their contributions prior to and/or following the termination of their employment by Special Olympics.
     • Current Provincial/Territorial and SOC Board Members are not eligible for nomination. Former Provincial/Territorial and SOC Board Members can only be nominated starting 12 months after the termination of their Board tenure.
     • The National Awards Committee will use discretion to deal with exceptions to the award criteria as they arise.

 

AWARD RECOGNITION

This award will be presented to the recipients at the Special Olympics Canada Awards evening.

Please complete the following information in support of this nomination.