PHOTOS: RI Special Olympians Are Off to Italy
GoLocalProv News Team
PHOTOS: RI Special Olympians Are Off to Italy
On Tuesday, Special Olympics Rhode Island (SORI) hosted a sendoff event to honor three exceptional athletes—Kayla Edgar of Westerly, Brianna Puglia of Narragansett, and Ian Shepherd of Newport—as they embarked on a journey to the 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin, Italy, from March 8 to 16.
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Kayla and Brianna, Representing Special Olympics USA, will compete in Snowshoeing, while Ian will showcase his skills in Alpine Skiing.
They will join 101 athletes and Unified partners from across the country at this prestigious international competition.
The celebration brought together family, friends, and supporters for a casual lunch where Kayla, Brianna, and Ian spoke and shared their excitement about competing on the world stage.
The sendoff concluded with a special escort by police cruisers from the Smithfield and Lincoln Police Departments, joined by members of the Smithfield Fire Department, as they led the athletes and their families on the first leg of their journey to Italy.