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Cunnington headlining annual Special Olympics Red Deer Celebrity Breakfast

Jun 7, 2017 | 9:37 AM

The 11th annual Special Olympics Red Deer Celebrity Breakfast is right around the corner.

Taking place Tuesday, June 13th in the Harvest Centre at Westerner Park, the event will feature guest speaker Tammy Cunnington.

Red Deer-born Cunnington was struck by an airplane at a Ponoka Air Show in April 1982, the accident leaving her a paraplegic. She’s since swam in the ParaPan-Am games and 2016 Paralympics in Rio.

Executive Director Jerry Tennant says the breakfast will raise funds for more than 300 individuals with intellectual disabilities who are taking part in 12 sports offered by Special Olympics Red Deer.

“We raise funds to help with the costs of facilities, costs of coaching and training, uniforms and equipment, travel and accomodations for events we go out of town for,” he says. “This year, we’re sending 70 athletes and 20 coaches to the Special Olympics Alberta Summer Games in Medicine Hat.”

That contingent is the largest ever sent from Red Deer, according to Tennant.

Last year’s event brought in around $15,000. The event is sold out.

For more information, visit SpecialOlympics.ca.