THURSDAY 2 MAY 2024: PORT OF SPAIN, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO –  The Digicel Foundation, corporate champion of the Special Olympics Trinidad and Tobago (SOTT), is calling on corporate T&T and the wider public to increase their support of the 2024 SOTT National Games. The Foundation has pledged TT$100,000.00 in funding towards this year’s Games, which run from 4 - 25 May, and is offering prizes and giveaways as incentives to drum up attendance.

“We don’t consider ourselves sponsors to SOTT, but real partners on a quest to create a world where no one gets left behind,” said Penny Gomez, the CEO of the Digicel Foundation, which has supported the SOTT from 2012 to present. The partnership achieved a major milestone last year with the commissioning of the new SOTT Secretariat at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium. In addition to funding the SOTT National Games, The Digicel Foundation has committed to providing funding of TT$135,000 annually for three years towards operationalising the facility.

“The SOTT National Games are so important – it’s the battlefield where the athletes show off all the skills that they accumulated after training for a year.  It’s also how the contingent will be selected to represent T&T at the World Games in Italy next year,” shared Gomez.  

At a press conference held at the Digicel T&T Headquarters on 1st May, the SOTT’s National Director, Ferdinand Bibby, commended the results of recent community caravans to build awareness on special needs and recruit new talent. He shared, “I would like to see more fans, and more flags in the stands.”

As such, the #WeAreFans flag competition aims to encourage a larger turnout from schools with teams participating in the Games. The school with the largest posse and the most creative flag will win $25,000 towards technology devices and one year of free broadband from Digicel+.

For the general public, the Friends and Fans campaign invites people to come out in their numbers for the chance to win a voucher for the whole group to dine at popular restaurants such as TGI Fridays and Pizza Hut. Other giveaways will be announced during the Games – from branded merchandise to Courts optical vouchers to Digicel top-ups. 

Follow the Digicel Foundation on social media @digicelfoundationtt for more information on how to win at the SOTT National Games.