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Hamish Taverner - Source: Adams Design Group
Hamish Taverner, the Special Olympics New Zealand athlete spokesperson for the 2009 National Summer Games, would like to welcome all the athletes, coaches and families to his hometown of Palmerston North.
"I have friends from all over New Zealand through Special Olympics," he says. "A lot of them are coming to Palmerston North. I am excited to see them and to make new friends, too. I hope everyone who comes has a great time and takes home lots of medals. Let me win. But if I can not win, let me be brave in the attempt!"
Taverner is 44 years old and grew up on a farm in Bulls. He joined Special Olympics in Wanganui in 1984. Hamish attended mainstream schools, including boarding school, and completed third and fourth form at Wanganui Collegiate.
In 2003, he and his family shifted to Palmerston North and he joined the Manawatu Club of Special Olympics. In 1996, he attended the Asia Pacific Games in Shanghai and was a silver medal winner for freestyle swimming and was a bronze medal winner in soccer.
In 1998, he travelled to Alaska for a People First Conference as the chairperson and member for People First Central Region. It was an amazing experience, he says, and while he was there he went on a cruise and spotted a few polar bears.
Taverber has nearly finished his Level 4 National Human Services Certificate and has achieved the Green Light Certificate in Literacy from Te Wananga.
He is a member of the IHC Rangitikei Branch Committee and served as a delegate to IHC New Zealand Council in 1996 and 2000.
He is presently participating in the Partners in Policy course with Standards and Monitoring Services (SAMS) and is a SAMS team member and board member.
Taverber's excellent computer skills have contributed to his success in securing a part-time job with the New Zealand Animal Breeding Trust.
Taverner will be competing in tenpin bowling at the 2009 National Summer Games.
