Lebenshilfe Dresden e. V. plans to travel with 44 athletes to the 2026 Special Olympics National Games in Saarbrücken. From June 15 to 19, 2026, more than 5,000 sports enthusiasts from across Germany will compete there – including a Dresden team participating in boccia, bowling, soccer, cycling, swimming, table tennis, and track and field.
To cover the expenses of equipment, travel, accommodation, meals, and entry fees, Lebenshilfe Dresden launched the fundraising campaign “Mücken für Saarbrücken” (“Pennies for Saarbrücken”). The initiative received prominent support from the 2006 Olympic biathlon champion Michael Rösch. At the beginning of February, he set off in a specially prepared Fiat Panda to Antholz/South Tyrol, the venue of the biathlon competitions at the Winter Olympics. Before and during the journey, he used this high-profile campaign to raise additional funds for the athletes of Lebenshilfe Dresden.
The response was tremendous: even before the official end of the fundraising campaign, the original target of €20,000 had been significantly exceeded. We at PTAI also learned about the initiative through Michael Rösch and contributed a three-digit amount. We did so, among other reasons, because we firmly believe that sport is a wonderful way to bring together people from all walks of life and to enable them to compete with one another in a spirit of fairness and peace. And in June 2026, we will be keeping our fingers firmly crossed for the Dresden sports team of Lebenshilfe e.V..
