Digicel and other Sponsors Join in Motorcade on May 20

Monday, 16 May 2011 – Road Town, Tortola: Five weeks to go and plans are shaping up for the team of six young athletes, who for the first time in history, will represent the Virgin Islands at the Special Olympics World Summer Games.

Team SOBVI, all sailors, will be the only sailing crew from the Caribbean and Latin America to enter the largest sporting event on Earth this year!

On 17 June, the delegation of nine will leave the Terrence B. Lettsome International Airport on Beef Island courtesy of BVI Airways, on a charter to Antigua and Barbuda, where their Virgin Atlantic over-nighter will connect to a European flight into Athens, Greece. 

“The Special Olympics BVI Team has been training hard for two years for this event and has every intention of returning home with medals,” stated Head
Coach Alison Knights Bramble. “We will be facing the giants – the US, Great Britain, Australia, China to name but a few, but we are keen to show them all just what BVI sailors can do!”

Special Olympics BVI has received generous support from various sectors of the local community who have all come together to make this historic event possible.  Maples - long term supporters of Special Olympics BVI, have come up trumps in purchasing all the team gear necessary for the sailors while on the water and après-sail, which amounts to thousands of dollars.  Caribbean Insurers Ltd. yet again will cover all travel and competition personal insurance for each member of the delegation.  Golden Hind Chandlery has provided major discounts on all the technical sailing clothing, through Gill.  Many other small businesses have also made an extra effort to support the young people, prepared to travel such a long way to compete in an arduous, week long regatta. 

The Platinum sponsors that have ‘stepped up to the plate’ for this world class event however, are Digicel BVI.  The telecommunications company, with roots set deep in Special Olympics throughout the world, is proud once again to be able to deliver on its unwavering promise of support to Special Olympics BVI. Digicel has trumped up thousands of dollars in financial help to secure the tickets and accommodation necessary for the local team to travel to Athens.

Now it’s time to finalize the Mile of Quarters Campaign and celebrate with the sailors and volunteers from SOBVI by joining in a march through Road Town this Friday 20 May.

Remember the Road to Athens Papers you received in your mailbox earlier this year?  This is the time to fulfill the request and donate your quarters and the rest of your loose change saved for such a worthy cause and bring it on out to the marching fans as they pass through Road Town! 

This historic rally, to which all are invited, will start at Government House at 2.30pm and finish at the government’s Central Administration Complex at 3.00pm. There, Ministers of Government, senior government officials, sponsors and other well-wishers are expected to greet the Athens Special Olympics Team to bid them farewell and good luck!

Ends…

About Digicel

After ten years of operation, Digicel Group Limited has 11.5 million customers across its 32 markets in the Caribbean, Central America and the Pacific. The company is renowned for delivering best value, best service and best network.

Digicel is the lead sponsor of Caribbean, Central American and Pacific sports teams, including the Special Olympics teams throughout these regions. Digicel sponsors the West Indies cricket team and is also the title sponsor of the Digicel Caribbean Cup. In the Pacific, Digicel is the proud sponsor of several national rugby teams and also sponsors the Vanuatu cricket team.

Digicel also runs a host of community-based initiatives across its markets and has set up Digicel Foundations in Jamaica, Haiti and Papua New Guinea which focus on educational, cultural and social development programmes.

In 2004, Digicel developed Digicel Rising Stars – an annual talent show to support aspiring young music artists in the Caribbean. The show has spanned the Eastern Caribbean, Haiti, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago ranking as one of the top-rated shows.

Digicel is incorporated in Bermuda and its markets comprise: Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Barbados, Bermuda, Bonaire, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Curacao, Dominica, El Salvador, Fiji, French Guiana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Martinique, Nauru, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, St Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos and Vanuatu. Digicel also has coverage in St. Martin and St. Barts in the Caribbean.

Visit www.digicelgroup.com  for more information.