From July 10 to 12, the 2025 Special Olympics BC Summer Games provided a memorable display of the abilities of athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities and the power of inclusion, thanks to the empowering experience hosted by the Prince George community.

 Over two days of competition, 870 Special Olympics BC athletes achieved personal bests, podium placings, and countless moments of pride and inspiration in 10 sports across Prince George.

At the Closing Ceremony of the 2025 SOBC Games, two deserving new members were inducted to the Special Olympics BC Hall of Fame.

Athlete Erin Thom of Cranbrook joined the Hall of Fame as an Athlete inductee.

Thom has been a dedicated Special Olympics athlete for 35 years, since she was 12 years old. She got her start in soccer, bowling, and alpine skiing, and went on to join swimming, basketball, softball, curling, cross country skiing, golf and Club Fit. She actively participates in every season of the year!

Since 1994, Thom has participated in all Regional Qualifiers and Provincial Games in winter sports, specializing in alpine skiing. She earned National and World Games medals in alpine skiing multiple times, dating back to the 1997 Special Olympics World Winter Games and most recently at the 2023 Special Olympics World Winter Games.

In 2008, Special Olympics programs across Canada started offering golf. Thom took on the sport with great skill and quickly started achieving competitive success, adding her into the summer Games cycle as well. In 2016, Thom started qualifying for summer sports at the National and World level, and has twice competed in golf in the Special Olympics World Summer Games.

Thom is widely known throughout her community as an active leader involved in countless fundraising initiatives and awareness campaigns, and is known throughout the provincial Special Olympics community for her warm friendship and support.

“The Special Olympics movement in our province is so fortunate to be enriched by the involvement of Erin Thom and Donna Bilous. Their incredible skills have inspired countless others, and their leadership and example have made a lasting difference. It’s a privilege to know Erin and Donna and welcome them into the Special Olympics BC Hall of Fame,” says SOBC President & CEO Dan Howe.

Volunteer Donna Bilous of Abbotsford joined the Hall of Fame as a Provincial Builder. Over more than 20 years as a dedicated, insightful volunteer leader and coach with the Special Olympics movement, Bilous has made a lasting difference through her deep impact on sport quality and opportunities, program operations, advocacy for health of people with intellectual disabilities, and leadership for community inclusion and social change.

Bilous is the valued Chair of Special Olympics BC’s Leadership Council and an impactful member of the SOBC Board of Directors, providing vital insights to shape the movement in our province. She is also a noted leader nationwide for the sport of speed skating, as a widely recognized coach and official who has led multiple Special Olympics speed skating teams to great success at Provincial, National, and World Games. Bilous was the deserving winner of Special Olympics BC’s Howard Carter Award for coaching excellence in both 2017 and 2011, and coaches multiple different sports in SOBC – Abbotsford.

Bilous also frequently and generously gives her time and expertise to strengthen sport development throughout the Special Olympics movement, regularly serving on provincial and national working groups to help ensure high-quality sport and extensive opportunities for athletes with intellectual disabilities.

As a longtime, now-retired nurse and proud parent of her daughter Paige Norton, an accomplished Special Olympics athlete, Bilous has also been a vital voice in B.C. to champion health equity for people with intellectual disabilities.

The 2025 Special Olympics BC Summer Games in figures:

• 870 athletes with intellectual disabilities ranging in age from 13 to 73 competed with determination;
• 332 volunteer coaches and mission staff supported the athletes from their home Regions;
• From 46 communities across the province;
• 1,347 medals awarded to proud athletes;
• 845 Games volunteers made the events possible;
• Close to 10,000 meals served by dedicated volunteers;
• 400 people received valuable health advice and resources in Special Olympics Healthy Athletes screenings;
• This is the third time Special Olympics BC Games have been hosted in Prince George, within the movement’s 45 years of enriching lives of B.C. athletes with intellectual disabilities through the power and joy of sport.

Results and outstanding photos captured by Special Olympics BC Summer Games volunteers can be found at www.SOBCGames.ca.

July 14 to 20 marks the annual Special Olympics Global Week of Inclusion, where people across the planet are coming together to call for inclusion and respect for respect for people with intellectual disabilities.

Lead image: A special moment during the closing ceremonies of the B.C. Special Olympic Games in Prince George; Erin Thom was inducted into the BC Special Olympics Hall of Fame. Special Olympics BC photo

e-KNOW

Article Share