Documents of "Sports for Everyone" conference
Pictures of "Sports for Everyone"
Hungarian „Sports and Leisure Association for the Visually Impaired”
(Látássérültek Szabadidõs Sportegyesülete, LÁSS)
www.lassegyesulet.hu
Our organisation was founded in October 2006. Any sighted or visually-impaired person who agrees with our goals may join us and is encouraged to participate in our activities. The reason why we felt such an organization was needed was that before LÁSS was created there had been no association, foundation, organization or formal group in Hungary which had provided a wide range of regular and barrier-free sports for visually-impaired people.
Our goals include:
· To further the enjoyment that can be experienced by participation in physical activities amongst a wide variety of visually-impaired people. This participation is open to all irrespective of their age, gender and physical condition.
· To promote leisure-time sports amongst visually-impaired people and provide them with opportunities for trying a wide range of sports.
· To facilitate participation in sports in which hitherto visually-impaired people had limited or no access at all. These include running, hiking, rowing, extreme sports etc.
· To organise different categories of spare-time activities (regular sport lessons, sports days, national and international camps) through which the efficient use of spare-time can be achieved.
· To provide our members with a barrier-free environment.
· To introduce "parasports" to the Hungarian Society and involve a large number of supporters and volunteers in our activities.
· To provide a relaxed and open atmosphere which promotes communication and networking.
· To find all possible means for promoting equal opportunities and social inclusion within leisure and spare-time sports.
LÁSS is a non-governmental organisation run solely with the financial support provided by benevolent funding and sponsors. We have no paid employees; all our partners as well as the trainers are volunteers.
Our achievements include:
a) Providing our members on a weekly basis with:
- Running lessons
· 
- Fitness lessons for women
- Wall-climbing
b) Monthly:
c) Sports festivals and competitions
· „Run in the Light” Deloitte Running Festival:
In 2007 LÁSS, in cooperation with Helios and the Foundation for Democratic Youth, Hungary (DIA) organised the fourth „Run in the Light” Deloitte Running Festival in which visually-impaired and sighted people run hand-in-hand. The event is meant to promote the importance of sports, equal opportunities and social inclusion.
- Vienna-Bratislava-Budapest Supermarathon:
In 2007 for the first time LÁSS sought sponsorship and organised a group of three tandem teams (3 sighted and 3 visually-impaired participants) to the 340 km long bike trip.
Biking is so popular amongst our members (and Hungarian Telekom was so generous in sponsoring) that in October, 2008 7 tandem pairs met this challenge.
In January, 2008 a couple of blind and partially sighted people had the chance to try skiing and in May 2008 we went sailing for a day to Lake Balaton. These one-day programs serve as „tasters” for those interested.
The last challenge for our members in 2008 was on tandem: 7 tandem bikes successfully completed their journey from Vienna to Budapest, pedalling 320 kms.
For further information contact:
info@lassegyesulet.hu