The Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU) today pledged to help increase from 8,000 to 16,000 the number of people with a learning disability who can participate in the Special Olympics Ireland programme.
ILCU chief executive officer Liam O'Dwyer said: "Every €1,000 our member credit unions raise means that another person has the chance to benefit from the wonderful and unique experience of the Special Olympics Ireland programme."
Mr O'Dwyer added, "We want to beat the €114,000 we raised for the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games. The Special Olympics Ireland 'Get Up, Get Out and Go!' programme is something we all want to support."
Special Olympics Ireland national director Mary Davis said: "2005 is the International Year of Sport and Physical Education, so I'd especially ask the 2.7 million credit union members to get active . . . . and involve themselves in a sports-related fundraising activity in their local community."
Special Olympics Ireland athlete Joe Feehily called credit union members to raise as much money as possible and give more people the chance he had.
"Special Olympics opened up a whole new world for me and helped me develop abilities and talents I never knew I had. . . . Life now is so bright for me," he said.
In addition to providing sports training and competition, Special Olympics Ireland supports athletes' families.
The organisation depends volunteers and family members to train and organise athletes in clubs and centres.