Belcoo lady Rosie Maguire has been touched by something special. 'It changed my life forever,' was how Rosie described working with the athletes at the Irish Special Olympics last year.
Next month, she travels as a volunteer to Shanghai for the World Special Olympics. Some 200 volunteers 190 plus athletes along with coaches, families and supporters will make the trip with 'Team Ireland'.
"I have some friends whose children have special needs." Rosie explained to 'the Herald' earlier this week, "and I was always interested in doing some volunteer work. So, when the opportunity arose last year I jumped at the chance and I loved every minute of it,"
"It is not something you can turn your back on once you start. I will be doing this for the rest of my life," she continued.
Rosie is currently in the middle of her fund-raising for this years Special Olympics.
She was chosen as one of 200 volunteers from 700 applicants and said she was 'amazed and honoured to be picked.'
To date she has raised over £2,000 of the £5,000 that each volunteer is asked to raise, and she is hoping to pocket some more cash for her special cause this week.
On Wednesday, Rosie will be in her native Belcoo at its famous sports day. There she will have a stall with all manner of games for children and some forever-young adults to have a go at. On Friday night, she is holding a Night at the Races in Eamon's Piano Bar in Blacklion.
Rosie is certainly showing some of the traits that she so much admires in the children with whom she works with.
"You cannot help but be inspired", she explained. " The determination, effort, skill and training that these athletes put in is truly amazing. They work just as hard as able-bodied athletes and just being around them is inspiring."
Rosie has been helped with her fund-raising by Mandy Taylor, a friend from Belfast and, trough the 'Herald', she thanked all the donors of the sponsorship that she has received from people in Belcoo and Blacklion.
But, she needs your help to reach her target, and anyone wishing to sponsor Rosie can do so online at www.mycharity.ie - simply log on and click on sponsor a friend and you will find Rosie.
