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PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Distribution
Los Angeles,
California
- Nearly 200
Special Olympics athletes and 90 coaches and staff from
around the country will gather in
Los Angeles,
California
en route to represent the
United States
at the 2005 Special Olympics World Winter Games in
Nagano,
Japan.
Comprising the largest delegation at
this year's biggest international sporting and humanitarian
event,
Team USA
will be honored on Sunday, February 20 at the
Marriott
Los Angeles
Airport
with a dinner and celebration planned from
7:00 - 9:00
p.m.
Featuring
top-tier entertainment, along with the marching band and
cheerleaders from the
University
of
Southern California,
the event will celebrate the accomplishments of these athletes,
whose ages range from 11 to 51, and allow special guests
and friends to offer their good
luck wishes to the Team USA representatives.
"Just
by being named to Team USA, these athletes all have earned
gold medals in state competition and thus have proven they
are winners both inside and outside of the sporting arena,"
said Chris Hahn, Chairman of the Team USA Management Team.
ěThis celebration not only honors those achievements, but
also demonstrates our pride in their being such deserving
ambassadors of the
United
States
at this world-class sporting event.î
This
event marks only the second time Team
USA
will assemble together. Team members previously met last
December at a five-day training camp in
Copper
Mountain,
Colorado.
The largest delegation to be represented at the World Games,
which will take place 26 February - 5 March, Team
USA
athletes will be joined by nearly 1,700 others from 85 countries.
Along with the athletes, 650 coaches and more than 10,000
volunteers, families and friends also will share in the
spirit of sportsmanship. In organizing the eighth such event
in the 36-year history of Special Olympics,
Nagano
becomes the first host of the Olympic, Paralympic and Special
Olympics Games, as well as the first site in
Asia
to host
any Special Olympics World Games, summer or winter.
At
the 2005 Special Olympics World Winter Games, Team
USA members will compete in seven sports - Alpine
Skiing, Cross-Country Skiing, Snowboarding, Figure Skating,
Speed Skating, Snowshoeing and Floor Hockey - at many
of the venues used for the 1998 Olympic Winter Games.
For
more info
rmation
about the 2005 Special Olympics World Winter Games and Team
USA,
visit www.specialolympicsteamusa.org.
About
Special Olympics
Special
Olympics is an international organization that changes lives
by promoting understanding, acceptance and inclusion between
people with and without intellectual disabilities. Through
year-round sports training and athletic competition and
other related programming for 1.4 million children and adults
with intellectual disabilities in more than 150 countries,
Special Olympics has created a model community that celebrates
people's diverse gifts. Founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy
Shriver, Special Olympics provides people with intellectual
disabilities continuing opportunities to realize their potential,
develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage and experience
joy and friendship. There is no cost to participate in Special
Olympics. Visit Special Olympics online at www.somt.org.
Contact: Bob Norbie,
President
bnorbie@somt.org
Vicki Dunham, VP Field Service
vdunham@somt.org
Special Olympics Montana
P.O. Box 3507
Great Falls, MT 59403
1-800-242-6876
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