it’s Roz
it’s Roz... & when this incredible lady puts her mind to something, big things happen!!
Many years ago Roz managed a local church hall and had a lot to do with people coming from SRF’s (Supported Residential Facilities hostels). Roz adds,“there was a breakfast twice a week and over the years, I related to a lot of them and we became good friends.”
Some shared accommodation facilities can have up to 35 residents living together at any one time & opportunities to be active and involved in the community can be limited.
Roz came up with a genius plan to promote inclusion, participation & just an opportunity to have a heap of fun, organising for the residents to come together to compete in a sports day & picnic lunch.
Roz got busy, contacting managers of the local SRF‘s to speak with them about the opportunity to make a difference. She was encouraged by the enthusiasm and appreciative of some great suggestions the managers shared and from there it all started, The Opportunity Games was born.
When asked “how did you come up with the Opportunity Games name?” Roz explains she has to give her husband, David credit for that one. According to Roz, she and David were discussing how they would name the event when David came up with The Opportunity Games. He explained, “you’re giving the SRF competitors an opportunity that they wouldn’t normally get. To have a picnic sports day that everyone can get involved in”…So that’s where the name came from!
This will be the fifth year of The Opportunity Games & it’s gone from strength to strength. Roz explains, “in our first year we had 26 competitors and last year it had grown to over 70 competitors coming from local SRFs but also from as far away as Gawler & Magill”.
Roz adds, “all the competitors are so grateful for the opportunity to be involved, when they are participating and they see you watching them, their grin goes from ear to ear, it’s just beautiful... it’s just such a happy day.”
Roz is so grateful for all the support & people willing to lend a hand to make The Opportunity Games such a success. Roz explains, “The City of Port Adelaide Enfield Council help us in that respect, we receive a council grant and also the use of buses to bring competitors to and from the games. We also receive a couple of donations as well to help fund the event. Largs Bay Rotary Club come every year, as does St John Ambulance | SAand we have a number of volunteers that have come for 4 to 5 years and they wouldn’t miss it for quids. Plus, the SRF carers all come along... various friends & family, plus the committee… & last but not least ‘The Flashbacks Band’ who have played for free for the past 4 years & they keep the party rockin’.
It’s held in the Recreation Reserve at Osborne which is a great facility with heaps of grassed areas, a couple of courts & access to Osborne House.
The Opportunity Games concludes with a Grand March with all the participants involved headed by one of the best bagpipers in South Australia ‘Phil Wild’. All participants march around the field and before receiving their participation medals. You can see everyone’s sense of achievement and happiness in being acknowledged - it’s plastered right across their faces.
Roz wanted to leave you with this story - “All of the competitors love their participation & first & second place medals, so much so that you can hear them clanking down Semaphore Road with their medals around their necks & their The Opportunity Games T-shirt on weeks after the event.... it’s gorgeous, it really is!!”
This has been one of itsPortAdelaides favourite events since its conception & if you’d like to join us at The Opportunity Games this year, there’s a few opportunities to join in…
As you can imagine community events like this require funding... Roz acknowledges “The City of Port Adelaide Enfield Council have been tremendous with their support through means of grants & we also welcome donations of money & they are very much appreciated”.
So if you would like to get involved with The Opportunity Games, to donate your time &/or money, please send itsPortAdelaide a private message and we will pass on your details to Roz & she will be in contact soon.
Congrats Roz for seeing an opportunity to give back to our community, then following it through with a lot of hard work & determination, to what it is now, a highly successful & bursting with good vibes day.
P.S. Your recent Australia Day Service Award acknowledging the work you do for the community fits you & everyone involved perfectly!!!