Special Olympics Canada Summer Games organizers making critical push for volunteers in Medicine Hat

Games chair Natalie Sauer said organizers are seeking between 1,200 and 1,500 volunteers to help welcome about 1,700 participants to Medicine Hat from August 11 to 15.

“We haven’t hit our target goal yet, but [we’re] consistently seeing people come in, and we really appreciate that our community is still responding to that, but we’re still hoping for a good push of a few hundred more if we can,” Sauer said.

If volunteer numbers remain short, organizers will first look to expand the commitment from those already registered.

“What we’re doing right now is, somebody who signed up for one or two shifts, we’re now on the horn, going, could you give us a few more,” Sauer said.

“We’ve kept our shifts quite small, so they’re really quite manageable,” she added.

“We’re just asking more people if they can maybe do one or two more shifts, so we’ll go to those folks that have committed already, which we really appreciate, and see if we can make that go further.”

All volunteers must register and complete a free Safe Sport training course, a national requirement that takes about 90 minutes and focuses on creating a safe and respectful environment for athletes.

Sauer said organizers are still looking for volunteers with specific skills, particularly healthcare professionals.

“Our number one need is to look to our healthcare professionals for additional support when it comes to having people on the fields that really have first aid,” Sauer said.

“If we have nurses or LPNs or people that are really versed in the healthcare community, that would be wonderful if we could get them to do just small shifts throughout the week at the different sporting venues.”

Sauer said volunteers are also needed for the Healthy Athletes program, particularly those with audiology experience, as well as officials across several sports, including basketball, bocce and rhythmic gymnastics.

For most other positions, Sauer said organizers will provide the necessary training.

“So everyone needs to understand that whatever they bring is of value. There will always be a place for you, no matter what your skill set is; we can make that work,” Sauer said.

To assist people through the registration process, organizers will host volunteer open houses at Medicine Hat College from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on July 15 and 16, where staff will be available to assist with registration and scheduling.

“If you have time, we can absolutely support you in walking through the process,” Sauer said.

Sauer said volunteers will receive official clothing, while those working shifts longer than four hours will also receive lunch.

She added that staff are confident Medicine Hat residents will answer the call.

To register as a volunteer, visit the 2026 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games website.

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READ: Volunteer rally planned at Co-op Place in Medicine Hat as Special Olympics recruitment continues

by Jett Schwaier

Special Olympics Canada Summer Games organizers making critical push for volunteers in Medicine Hat

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