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This summer, Bev Thomas, a member of , will travel to British Columbia for a very exciting trip. Selected to participate in the in Vancouver from July 7-13, she will be aiming for gold in five-pin bowling.

Thomas has been bowling for three years under the direction of coach Joyce Fletcher. “I bowl every Thursday night in Dresden,” said Thomas. “I didn’t know until September 20th that I got picked to go to Vancouver! [That’s when] my coach . . . told me I got to go.”

Thomas has participated in other Special Olympic events in the past, traveling to Calgary, Alberta; Ottawa, Ontario; Minneapolis, Minn.; and Kingston, Ontario, for various sports and levels of competition.

Enthusiastic support from the community has meant a lot to Thomas, who is a natural encourager herself. Recently players from Thomas’s favorite local football team, the Tartans of Wallaceburg District Secondary School, worked with Wallaceburg CRC and Community Living to host a pasta dinner celebrating Thomas’s qualification for the games and raising enough funds for her trip. “I go to all the Tartans practices and all the Tartans games,” said Thomas. “Tell them thank you for supporting me.”

So far, Thomas doesn’t know of anyone who plans to travel to Vancouver to cheer her on in person—but she would welcome the support.