Special Olympics athletes get police send-off to Summer Games in Nova Scotia

Officers with the Thunder Bay Police Service were out in force at the Thunder Bay International Airport on Monday morning to bid farewell to local athletes headed to the Special Olympics Canada Summer Games in Nova Scotia. 

Yvette DeGagne and Eric Bakker are going to Antigonish to compete in shot put, long jump and sprinting events.

Asked what message the police wanted to send to the athletes, acting deputy chief Don Lewis replied, "Do their best for themselves first, and represent the community and the province and the country.  And first and foremost is have as much fun as humanly possible." 

Bakker, whose father, Ray is the team's travel captain, is attending the national games for the first time.  

DeGagne competed previously at Games held in Niagara Falls, Ont.,  and London, Ontario.

'I'm just so happy I just want to cry!'

"It was very exciting. I met new people," she said of the Niagara Falls event..

"My whole family's waiting down in Nova Scotia now waiting for me," said DeGagne, 

"I'm just pumped up waiting to do my events," she said, adding she hopes to win three gold medals in Nova Scotia. 

DeGagne has been working out and going to Zumba classes to train for the Games, she said.

Asked how she felt about getting a police send-off as she prepared to board the plane, she laughingly replied  "I think the police are so gorgeous!  ... They're handsome!"  

DeGagne, who also bowls, said she is proud to compete in Special Olympics. 

"It's a great experience for me," she said exuberantly.  "I'm just so happy I just want to cry!"