BARRIE, ONT. After a challenging year, Barrie s Special Olympics athletes are celebrating some due recognition. Barrie Mayor Jeff Lehman declared Sunday Special Olympics Day in the city of Barrie. The organization says the recognition comes at a trying time for athletes who have been unable to gather in person due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The biggest difficulty is keeping the athletes engaged, physically and mentally, says Kathy McCarroll, a coach with Special Olympics Barrie. We ve set up virtual programs, and we ve had a lot of athletes be into that with attending physical workouts online. In honour of the recognition, a flag was raised at city hall. The group also celebrated virtually with activities such as bingo and a scavenger hunt. While the pandemic has been challenging for everyone, McCarroll points out it s been especially devastating for these athletes, as the organization is the only social outlet many have.