XN000022-1984-06-17 — Page 4

SUNDAY, JUNE 17, 1984

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SPORT FOR ALL IS THE AIM

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A DEDICATED GROUP IN THE RECREATION AND CULTURE DEPARTMENT CANNOT MAKE THE BLIND SEE OR THE DEAF HEAR BUT THEY CAN GIVE THEM THE FUN OF SPORTS NONETHELESS,

IN THE VARIOUS ACTIVITIES ORGANISED BY THE SPECIAL GROUPS UNIT OF THE RECREATION AND SPORT SERVICE LAST YEAR, ABOUT 3 500 PHYSICALLY OR MENTALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS SHARED THE FUN OF SWIMMING, ANGLING AND ROLLER SKATING.

SET UP IN DECEMBER 1982, THE UNIT HAS ALSO DEVOTED MUCH ENERGY TO LEADERSHIP TRAINING AS THIS PROVIDES THE MANPOWER FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE SERVICE, SAID MRS POLLY LAI, THE SENIOR RECREATION AND SPORT OFFICER WHO HEADS THE UNIT.

LAST YEAR, 325 VOLUNTARY HELPERS JOINED LEADERSHIP COURSES OFFERED BY THE UNIT. THE COURSES INCLUDED GYMNASTIC WORKSHOPS FOR INSTRUCTORS SERVING THE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED AND A SEMINAR ON SAFETY IN SPORTS FOR THE PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED.

THE UNIT HAS ALSO HELD PILOT ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS FENCING AND TENNIS, FOR THE PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED.

+THE DISABLED ARE NOT OUR SOLE CONCERN,+ SAID MRS LAI. +AS THE NAME OF OUR SECTION SUGGESTS, WE TAKE CARE OF ACTIVITIES FOR THE ELDERLY AND THE UNDERPRIVILEGED AS WELL.

AMONG SUCH ACTIVITIES ARE RECREATION DAY CAMPS FOR THE ELDERLY, EXCURSION TRIPS AND BALL GAMES FOR ORPHANS. TRAINING COURSES IN BALL GAMES AND GYMNASTICS FOR PROBATIONERS IN BOYS' AND GIRLS' HOMES ARE ALSO HELD.

OFFICERS OF THE SECTION ALSO ADVISE VARIOUS ASSOCIATIONS IN DESIGNING THEIR FACILITIES TO SUIT THE NEEDS OF THE DISABLED.

+WE CAN HELP HANDICAPPED PEOPLE IN WHEELCHAIRS TO ENJOY BASKET BALL BY LOWERING THE BASKET BALL STAND, OR GIVE SPASTICS MORE FUN IN BALL GAMES BY GIVING THEM A GIANT-SIZED BALL,+ SAID MRS LAI.

+WE UPDATE OURSELVES CONSTANTLY WITH DEVELOPMENTS IN REHABILITATION AROUND THE WORLD IN ORDER TO IMPROVE OUR SERVICE.+

+UP TO NOW WE HAVE BEEN ORGANISING ACTIVITIES JOINTLY WITH ASSOCIATIONS FOR THE DISABLED. IN THE COMING YEAR WE PLAN TO EXTEND OUR SERVICE TO THOSE WHO ARE NOT MEMBERS OF ANY ORGANISATIONS, SHE SAID.

SCUBA DIVING FOR THE PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED, BOWLING FOR THE BLIND AND WHEELCHAIR DANCING ARE AMONG THE ACTIVITIES BEING PLANNED.

+WE NEED A BIGGER FORCE OF VOLUNTARY HELPERS TO EXPAND OUR ACTIVITIES, SAID MRS LAI. +MOST OF OUR VOLUNTEERS HAVE COME FROM SERVICE GROUPS OF ESTABLISHED COMPANIES AND I HOPE OTHERS WILL COME FORWARD IN THE FUTURE.+

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