In a Special Olympics BC Games first, Prince George athlete Chase Caron has designed the ribbon for the medals that will be pursued with pride in the 2025 Special Olympics BC Summer Games.
Caron unveiled the ribbon design on May 12, with just under two months to go until the 2025 SOBC Games kick off in Prince George July 10 to 12.
The 2025 Special Olympics BC Summer Games will bring together more than 1,200 athletes with intellectual disabilities and volunteer coaches and mission staff from across the province and the Yukon, to compete with passion and show their skills in 10 summer sports.
Caron is a multi-sport SOBC – Prince George athlete who has competed in two previous Special Olympics BC Games, both summer and winter. She also raced at the 2016 Special Olympics Canada Winter Games in snowshoeing. She is one of three Athlete Ambassadors serving on the 2025 SOBC Summer Games Organizing Committee, and she will compete in her hometown Provincial Games in basketball.
Off the fields of play, Caron is a freelance artist, illustrator, and cartoonist. She is an experienced literary and visual storyteller. In the 2025 SOBC Games medal ribbon design, she sought to embody values of the Special Olympics movement, including pride, inclusion, celebration of abilities, and living without limits. She envisioned a colour palette that included representation of the province of B.C., the Pacific Northwest, and the summery colours of the 2025 SOBC Summer Games logo.
“I hope that the ribbon will make people feel the sense of accomplishment and pride in the award being won, and all the trials and tribulations the athletes have persevered through, both in practice and in competition,” Caron said. “I hope it shows the skills and abilities of Special Olympics athletes. And I hope it shows pride – pride in your team, pride in your province, pride in your own endurance, and pride in yourself and how you developed your own skill set.”
Caron’s powerful design encourages athletes to “let your brilliance shine.” To bring the ribbon design to life, she worked with Games Organizing Committee members including Director of Protocol Victor Liu and SOBC – Prince George Local Coordinator Peter Goudal, supported by Special Olympics BC staff.
“I was excited and proud to collaborate with Chase on this opportunity to create a unique medal for the 2025 Special Olympics BC Summer Games, and spotlight her abilities. I’m inspired by her vision and skills, as well as all of her accomplishments on and off the fields of play,” Liu said.
“The 2025 SOBC Games Organizing Committee is passionate about celebrating the abilities of Special Olympics athletes, and we’re really proud of all of our local athletes for their talents and achievements. This is one of many ways that their skills are on display through the 2025 Special Olympics BC Summer Games,” Games Co-Chair Lyn Hall said.
“Having a medal ribbon designed by an athlete is an important first for Special Olympics BC Games. Our Prince George community is determined to host the best Games ever, and leadership by Special Olympics athletes is an important part of making that possible,” Games Co-Chair Renee McCloskey said.
To make the 2025 Special Olympics BC Summer Games possible, approximately 1,000 local volunteers will be needed for a wide range of rewarding roles, and the support of generous sponsors and donors is vital. Volunteer registration and donation opportunities can be found at SOBCGames.ca.
2025 SOBC Games Background
- The 2025 Special Olympics BC Summer Games will be hosted in Prince George on July 10 to 12. Full SOBC Games details can be found at SOBCGames.ca.
- Approximately 1,000 volunteers and sponsor support will be needed to make this life-changing event a reality.
- The 10 sports in the 2025 SOBC Games are 10-pin bowling, basketball, bocce, golf, rhythmic gymnastics, powerlifting, soccer, softball, swimming, and track and field.
- 2025 Special Olympics BC Games athletes earned their berths in the provincial competition through their performances in Regional Qualifiers, which were held throughout the province from February to July 2024. Top performers in Prince George will qualify for spots on Special Olympics Team BC for the 2026 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games in Medicine Hat, Alberta. The 2026 SOC Games will be the qualifier for the 2027 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Santiago, Chile.
- 2025 will mark the third time Prince George has hosted Special Olympics BC Games.
- Special Olympics BC – Prince George runs weekly sport, youth, and health programs for local athletes with intellectual disabilities, offering meaningful opportunities year round. Details and program volunteer opportunities can be found here
About Special Olympics BC
Special Olympics BC is dedicated to enriching the lives of individuals with intellectual disabilities through sport. In 55 communities around the province, we provide year-round training and competitive opportunities in 18 different sports to thousands of athletes of all ages and a wide range of abilities, thanks to the dedicated efforts of coaching and organizing volunteers. For more information, find us on Facebook, Instagram, Flickr, and TikTok @specialolympicsbc and on X @SpecialOBC.
To learn more about the empowering year-round sport, youth, and health programs offered by Special Olympics BC – Prince George, please find them online and on Facebook.