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by Nolwen Grassin, Manager, Communication and Athlete Leadership,
Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia
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The Schlesser family (left to right) François, Christiane and Hélène. [Photo courtesy Special Olympics Luxembourg]
“Special Olympics is a family activity... By volunteering, we support the athletes, but we also help other parents relax.... And meeting parents allows us to share with other families.”
— Hélène Schlesser |
Christiane Schlesser has been involved in Special Olympics Luxembourg for more than 20 years. She has competed in a variety of sports — aquatics, table tennis, athletics and cross country skiing — and competed in Special Olympics World Summer Games in 1991 and 1995.
Schlesser attends a day center for people with mental handicaps in Luxembourg. She lives about 12 kilometers (7 miles) away in the village of Battembourg with her mother, Hélène, and her father, François, who are both over 60. She has an older brother, Gilbert, who has three children of his own.
“Special Olympics is a family activity. It means a lot to us,” said Hélène, who performs many tasks as a volunteer, from driving and preparing food to setting up the athletics venue and organizing medals ceremonies. “By volunteering, we support the athletes, but we also help other parents relax. Were it not for Special Olympics, many people like Christiane would stay at home. Special Olympics gives them extra energy, not just in sports, but in their everyday life. And meeting parents allows us to share with other families,” Hélène said. “Through training and socializing, we have come to know most of the athletes personally. We almost never miss a training,” she added.
François is a retired electrician and a former volleyball player and referee. He was the National Program's aquatics coach for World Games in 1995 and 2003. He also spends countless hours on the computer maintaining the National Program's medical forms. Several years ago, François became a Board Member and Vice President of the National Program. “What I enjoy most is spending time with the athletes and getting to know them better,” he said.
Christiane has a favorite Special Olympics memory, and that is when she won a gold medal in aquatics during the 1999 Special Olympics World Summer Games. “When they started announcing the results from eighth to first place, I was shocked when they called my name last. I had no idea I had come in first,” she said. Nearby was her father, who was videotaping his daughter's moment of triumph. Back home, not only did Christiane's mother watch the videotape of her daughter but so did many friends and relatives. Winning the gold medal may be Christiane's most cherished memory in Special Olympics, but it is also a memorable page from the family's history book. |
