 |
 |
|
|
 |
| |
Sunday, June 4, 2023
|
|
 |
 |
| |
|
|
When Peter Novelletto was told he could not play
soccer because of his disability, his father, Egidio, and friend,
Vince Rosati, recognized a need to organize a soccer team for
other children like Peter. When Peter was 12 years old, his
father started the Italian Canadian Handicapable Association |
P10791-Photo
courtesy of the Rosati Family |
|
(ICHA), at Glengarda school. The Association gave disabled
children the |
|
chance to play soccer.
As time went on, Egidio saw progress in the children, improvements
in their self-esteem, and he began to offer more activities including
track and field competitions, clogging and dance classes. In
1988, when the Special Olympics started, the ICHA was a participant,
and, in 1998, they were the Ontario champions. The ICHA is involved
in hosting an annual Special Olympic Indoor Soccer Tournament involving
more than 400 participants who arrive from numerous localities
throughout Ontario and Quebec, as well as the State of Michigan.
The ICHA also offers scholarships to challenged students for
use at St. Clair College and the University of Windsor.
Thanks to great contributions from local businessman Vince Rosati,
the construction of the 50,000 sq. ft. sports and recreation complex
was completed for the ICHA in 2002. The sports complex can accommodate
soccer, baseball, rugby, lacrosse, field hockey, arena football
and lawn bowling (in the spring and summer months) as well as providing convention
and conference facilities and, of course, shuffleboard and boccia
courts. The centre, run by the ICHA, is open to the general public. |
|
| Back to previous page |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
 |
The
opinions and interpretations in this publication are those of the author
and do not necessarily reflect those of the Government of Canada. |
|
|
