The Special Olympics Canada 2018 National Summer Games in Antigonish are approaching.
The festivities start July 31; a 100-day countdown officially launched Monday.
Marc Champoux, the co-chair of the event, says roughly 1,450 athletes and coaches are expected to take part.
He says a number of things are planned for the festivities, but he can’t say much for details.
Champoux tells The Hawk there will probably be a lot of surprises in store.
“Our communications folks, I think, have a number of things planned in terms of giving us little hints of what’s to come over the course of the Games and what to expect,” he says. “Candidly, I’m anticipating as much as anyone what they will come out with.”
Champoux says the event will have a great impact on the community, both in terms of popularity and economic spinoff.
“For Antigonish and Nova Scotia to have this profile around the country, I think, can only do good things,” he says. “To that end, we have committee members and members of the community meeting to make sure we handle this right.”
Champoux says they’re five per cent away from their funding goal, but that’s still a big number when the total budget is $2.2 million.
An announcement of a funding contribution was also made; Sobeys reps are providing $250,000.