Paralympics New Zealand reach out to masses in search of 22 Paralympians

"This will ensure that they can be acknowledged and celebrated and for their stories to be shared once again with all New Zealanders" 10 May 2020
Imagen
NZ Paralympians
THE SEARCH IS ON: Photo collage of Paralympians whose whereabouts are sought by Paralympic New Zealand for The Celebration Project.
ⒸPNZ
By PNZ and IPC

Paralympics New Zealand (PNZ) are on a mission – to find 22 of their celebrated Para athletes – as part of The Celebration Project. The campaign, initiated a year ago, has already acknowledged 77 Paralympians at seven community events held throughout New Zealand and one in Germany.

PNZ had lined up four more community events in the recent months but they had to be put on hold due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Till date, PNZ have reached out to 187 New Zealand Paralympians or their families and are taking this lockdown situation as an opportunity to find the remaining 22 Paralympians or their families.

 “We thank all individuals and organisations that have helped us to find these Paralympians and now call upon members of the public to help us find the remaining 22 Paralympians and/or their families. This will ensure that they can be acknowledged and celebrated and for their stories to be shared once again with all New Zealanders,” said Fiona Allan, CEO, PNZ.

Of the 22 Paralympians:

  • 6 Paralympians were part of the very first New Zealand Paralympic Team that competed at the Tel Aviv 1968 Paralympic Games

  • 5 Paralympians competed in summer Paralympic Games throughout the 1970s

  • 7 Paralympians competed in summer Paralympic Games throughout the 1980s

  • 2 Paralympians represented New Zealand at Paralympic Winter Games

  • 2 Paralympians competed at the Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games respectively.

Evan Clulee who received his Paralympic pin a year ago said he would love all his fellow Paralympians to have the same experience. “To now be numbered as New Zealand Paralympian #76, to be honoured as one of 209 New Zealand athletes that represented New Zealand at a Paralympic Games cannot be summed up easily. To be honoured is broad, it is wide reaching, life impacting, and a huge privilege.” 

The 22 Paralympians whose whereabouts PNZ are looking for are: Norman Brown, Len Campbell, Rex Fattorini, Bill Flood, Doug McDonald, Bill Plessius, Dennis Miller, Tina Morgan, Chris Nicholls, Paul D Chambers, Doug Moore, Greg Cochrane, Ken Raymond, Dave Tarrant, Denis Butler, Michael O’Callaghan, Janette Cordery, John Davies, Brent Gibson, Stuart Graham, Thomas Simeon and Tanya Bradley.

PNZ is requesting any information that could assist in connecting with the 22 Paralympians or their families; contact: +64 9 526 0760 / +64 21 220 6461 or email: lgruffat@paralympics.org.nz