This Timmins, Ont. athlete is being featured in a national Tim Hortons campaign

A Timmins athlete is the centre of a national Tim Hortons campaign to raise funds for Special Olympics Canada. 

Julia Romualdi, a Special Olympics athlete who has down syndrome, is featured in the campaign.The Special Olympics Donuts campaign runs from Jan. 31 to Feb. 2 at Tim Hortons restaurants across Canada. All proceeds from the sale will be donated to Special Olympics programs.

For Romualdi, the campaign is more than just promoting a doughnut. It's an opportunity to advocate for inclusion and support the more than 42,000 athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities across Canada.

" I first started with the Special Olympics when I was four years old when I started figure skating," Romualdi said. "For me, the campaign is not just about the doughnuts. It's about helping us play, grow and show the world that inclusion makes everything better."

The Special Olympics doughnut features a chocolate cake ring with white fondant, colourful sprinkles and whipped topping. The multi-coloured design reflects the values of diversity and inclusion at the core of the Special Olympics movement.

"The sprinkles bring joy to everyone," said the athlete.

Romualdi's journey as a Special Olympics athlete has taken her across Canada and the world. She has earned multiple medals, including at her first provincial games at the age of 11. This summer, she will compete in the Ontario Summer Games as part of the Special Olympics Ontario soccer team. 

She also works to bring inclusive sports programs to high schools in Timmins, with the program expanding to local elementary schools this year.

Romualdi's involvement with the campaign includes interviews and appearances, including a commercial filmed in Toronto at the Pan Am Centre last November. There, she showcased her talents in basketball, soccer and track and field.

"Being part of the commercial was an amazing experience for me to see all the hard work to go right behind making these commercials," she said

The partnership with Tim Hortons also supports Special Olympics Canada's youth programs, such as FUNdamentals and Active Start, which help children with intellectual disabilities develop motor and sports skills in a fun and positive environment. These programs foster physical fitness, courage, joy, skills, and lasting friendships.

"Tim Hortons has been an incredible partner to our movement, and their continued support means so much to the more than 42,000 Special Olympics athletes across Canada and their families," said Gail Hamamoto, CEO of Special Olympics Canada. "This partnership is a reminder of how powerful inclusion can be when communities come together."

Romualdi's family is equally proud of her involvement in the campaign. Her mother, Karen, expressed immense pride in her daughter's achievements. 

"I went looking for her and I took my mother. We found Julia and I got out of the car in a snowstorm to take a picture of Julia's image," she said. "It's really about bringing awareness to a new generation of kids with intellectual disabilities and about growing awareness for the Special Olympics. And that's what we're all about."

For Romualdi, the campaign represents a milestone in her journey as both an athlete and an advocate for people with intellectual disabilities. 

"Every doughnut makes a difference and I'm so grateful for everyone who supports this campaign. I hope to spread the message I'll Choose to Include," she said.