2009 Special Olympics Minnesota Summer Games
More than 1,100 athletes to compete June 18-20 at the University of Minnesota
More than 1,100 Special Olympics athletes from across Minnesota will compete at the 2009 Summer Games June 18-20. One of five state Special Olympics Minnesota competitions annually, Summer Games includes track and field events at the University of Minnesota’s Bierman Athletics Complex (corner of 15th Avenue SE and 5th Street SE), volleyball at the University of Minnesota’s Recreation Center (1906 University Avenue SE), tennis at the University of Minnesota’s Baseline Tennis Center (1815 4th Street SE) and gymnastics competition at Mini-Hops Gymnastics Club in Minnetonka (131 Cheshire Lane, Suite 100). More than 1,600 volunteers will help make Summer Games possible, and all competitions are free and open to the public.
The 2009 Summer Games Celebration Ceremonies will be held Friday evening, June 19, at 7:30 p.m. at the University of Minnesota’s Bierman Field and will include guest speakers, an athlete parade, Minnesota law enforcement personnel and the ceremonial lighting of the “Flame of Hope” by a Special Olympics Minnesota athlete. Law enforcement volunteers will participate in a 2,000-mile Final Leg relay running the flame across Minnesota in the weeks leading up to Summer Games. The 2009 Torch Run will culminate at Bierman Field for Celebration Ceremonies.
Between competitions, athletes will have the chance to spend time in Olympic Town, where they can play carnival games, dance, sing and enjoy stage shows from a variety of Minnesota performers. Athletes can also partake in Healthy Athletes, an initiative designed to increase the health and fitness of people with intellectual disabilities, a medically underserved population. The Healthy Athletes program works to improve access to health care by providing a variety of free screenings, making referrals to local health practitioners and training health professionals and students about the needs of people with intellectual disabilities. The 2009 Summer Games Healthy Athletes Village runs throughout the games and will offer MedFest – an opportunity for current and prospective athletes to receive a free sports physical – as well as Healthy Hearing, Opening Eyes, Special Smiles, Fit Feet, FUNfitness and Health Promotion.
For more information, visit Special Olympics Minnesota’s Web site at www.specialolympicsminnesota.org.
Special Olympics Minnesota offers children and adults with intellectual disabilities year-round sports training and competition. Through Special Olympics’ athletic, health and leadership programs, people with intellectual disabilities transform themselves, their communities and the world.
2009 Summer Games Schedule of Events
Thursday, June 18
University of Minnesota Bierman Athletics Complex
– Track and Field Competition 11:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
– Olympic Town Noon – 4 p.m.
– Healthy Athletes Village
Healthy Hearing Noon – 3 p.m.
Health Fair Noon – 3 p.m.
Fit Feet Noon – 4 p.m.
Friday, June 19
University of Minnesota Bierman Athletics Complex
– Track and Field Competition 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
– Olympic Town 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
– Healthy Athlete Village
FUNfitness 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Special Smiles 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Health Fair 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Opening Eyes 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Healthy Hearing 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Blood Glucose Screening 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Mini-Hops Gymnastics Club, Minnetonka
– Rhythmic Gymnastics Competition 2:45 – 5:30 p.m.
University of Minnesota Bierman Field
– Pre-Ceremonies Entertainment 5 – 7:20 p.m.
– Celebration Ceremonies 7:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 20
University of Minnesota Bierman Athletics Complex
– Track and Field Competition 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
– Olympic Town 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
– Healthy Athletes Village
Opening Eyes 9 a.m. – Noon
Blood Glucose Screening 9 a.m. – Noon
MedFest 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Health Promotion 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Health Fair 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
University of Minnesota Recreation Center (3rd Floor)
– Volleyball Competition 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Baseline Tennis Center
– Tennis Competition 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Mini-Hops Gymnastics Club, Minnetonka
– Artistic Gymnastics Competition 2:45 – 5:30 p.m.
Source: Special Olympics Minnesota
Following the Success of Team GB in Beijing, one in ten 16-24 Year Olds Have Taken up a new Sport
A recent survey conducted by the MARS Refuel Drink Fund has revealed that one in ten 16-24 year olds on the UK have taken up a new sport, following the success of Team GB in Beijing. That’s an amazing 800,000 people!
The survey showed that the average sporting individual spends GBP32.52 a month on their sport, around 10% of their disposable income. This includes kit, travel, equipment, membership fees, league registrations fees and subs for training.
However with clubs and individuals feeling the effects of the current economic climate, the cost of participating in sport is potentially becoming a barrier to participate.
After its phenomenal launch in 2008, the MARS Refuel Drink Fund will be returning for three months from April 06 2009 to help sports clubs and individuals following their sporting dreams.
As a consequence, last year the MARS Refuel Drink Fund attracted 5,309 applications and helped to refuel 4,254 people. So if your football team is desperate for a new strip, or your basketball club needs new hoops, the MARS Refuel Drink Fund could help.
The fund, which launches on April 6 2009 until June 30 2009, has GBP10,000 to donate each month to the most deserving applicants. To celebrate its return, MARS Refuel will be offering a star prize of GBP5,000 for one lucky applicant in April only, with a maximum of GBP500 per applicant each month after.
Applications can be made online at http://www.marsrefuel.com offering support with anything from equipment costs, to improving training grounds and club houses.
You don’t just have to be part of a team to benefit. The fund will also give support to individuals raising money for charity through sporting activities, such as bike rides, mountain climbing and parachute jumps.
The site will be regularly updated with the names of the people and clubs awarded each month. They will also be invited to post comments, pictures and videos of themselves as part of their application.
The fund is open to residents of, and clubs and organisations based in the UK and Republic of Ireland only. Applicants must be 12 years or over and only one application will be accepted per person, club or organisation.
* The research for the MARS Refuel Drink Fund was carried out online by Opinion Matters/Tickbox.net between 17.03.09 and 25.03.09 amongst a nationally representative sample of 1009 UK Adults/partners/friends/relatives who take part in sport regularly.
Source: MARS Consumer Drinks
Deloitte Announces Sponsorship of U.S. Olympic Committee and U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams
Official Professional Services Sponsor of the U.S. Olympic Committee and the 2010 and 2012 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams
Deloitte announced its sponsorship of the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC), the 2010 and 2012 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams, as well as the 2011 U.S. Pan American Team and the 2010 U.S. Team for the Youth Olympic Games. As a result of its commitment to provide the strengths of its organization for maximum social impact, Deloitte and its subsidiaries will provide support to help the USOC and U.S. Teams operate efficiently and successfully throughout their journey to the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan Am and Youth Olympic Games.
As the Official Professional Services Sponsor of audit, tax, consulting and financial advisory services, Deloitte’s subsidiaries will contribute by offering a variety of in-kind professional services to the USOC.
“We believe the business community has a powerful role to play in answering the call to service to help nonprofit organizations deliver results,” said Barry Salzberg, CEO, Deloitte LLP. “There is no better opportunity to put the intellectual capital and business knowledge of our people to work than through the delivery of our exceptional professional services capabilities for the strategic, operational, and financial benefit of the USOC and U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes and hopefuls.”
“We are proud to welcome Deloitte to our family of sponsors and appreciate the expertise and support they bring in preparing America’s athletes for the Vancouver 2010 and London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games,” said Stephanie Streeter, USOC Acting Chief Executive Officer. “This contribution and the breadth of capabilities they bring will be instrumental in our mission to enable America’s athletes to realize their Olympic and Paralympic dreams.”
Deloitte’s core values – integrity, strength from cultural diversity, and commitment to each other – are reflected in the Olympic Movement. In addition to Deloitte, other member firms of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu have committed to the international Olympic Movement. Deloitte Canada is the Official Professional Services Supplier to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and Deloitte UK is the Official Professional Services Provider of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Separately, subsidiaries of Deloitte have been engaged to provide pro bono services to Chicago 2016 which is bidding for the right to host the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
USOC
The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the sole entity in the United States whose mission involves training, entering and underwriting the full expenses for the U.S. teams in the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games. In addition to being the steward of the U.S. Olympic Movement, the USOC is the moving force for support of sports in the United States that are on the program of the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games.
Source: Deloitte
Grandson of Jesse Owens Delivers Chicago 2016 Bid Book to IOC
Hand-Crafted Symbols of Chicago Children’s Hopes and Dreams Accompany Submission
Chicago 2016 submitted the official Candidature File to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Lausanne, Switzerland. Chicago’s bid book was hand-delivered by Chicago-native Stuart Owen Rankin, grandson of four-time Olympic Gold Medalist Jesse Owens who participated in the 1936 Olympic Games. The bid book contains hand-crafted Chicago stars drawn by children from the Jesse Owens Community Academy, who participated in a send-off event last Friday and shared their hopes and dreams for bringing the Games to Chicago in 2016.
“As a Chicago native and the grandson of Olympian Jesse Owens, I am honored to be involved in this process and am committed to Chicago’s efforts to host the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games,” said Rankin. “I believe that Chicago is an ideal choice for the Games due to its diversity, respect and appreciation for sport, and the legacy that the Games will provide in our communities and for the Olympic Movement.”
A group of supporters gathered at O’Hare International Airport on Wednesday, waving signs and cheering as Rankin departed with the bid book. He arrived in Lausanne on Thursday and visited the Olympic Museum, where his grandfather’s photographs and track shoes are on display, and delivered the bid book to the IOC Headquarters.
At a press conference on Friday, Chicago 2016 plans to reveal the contents of the bid book, which is a response to the 227 questions posed to all bid cities by the IOC. The Committee will discuss key areas of the Candidature File, including environment, urban sport, and community and Games legacy.
“Tomorrow we have the opportunity to reveal a more colorful picture of our plan for a spectacular Games experience,” said Chicago 2016 chairman and CEO Patrick Ryan. “This has been an exciting and historic week, and having the Owens family as part of this milestone has made it even more meaningful.”
Chicago’s plan places the athlete at the center of the Games — with the Games in the heart of the city — and then surrounds the sport competition with a festival of friendship designed to deliver a spectacular Games experience for one and all.
Chicago 2016′s compact, sustainable plan takes advantage of existing infrastructure for accommodations and transport and maximizes the use of existing and temporary venues. 22 of 27 venues are temporary venues or those which already exist. The venues for 22 sports (eighty-five percent), the IBC/MPC, the Olympic Family hotel and accommodations for all key constituent groups are located within an 8 km Olympic Ring.
The Olympic Village is the center of Chicago 2016′s plan, placing 90 percent of the athletes within 15 minutes or less of their competition venues and training sites.
The IOC Evaluation Commission will visit Chicago April 2-8, 2009. IOC members and subject matter experts will be in town to review all aspects of Chicago’s bid, including the proposed venues, and to experience the city firsthand.
Chicago 2016
Chicago 2016 is a 501(c)(3) corporation whose mission is to seek the privilege of hosting the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Chicago. The committee’s board consists of business, civic, athletic, cultural and academic leaders representing Chicago and the surrounding Midwest region. Patrick Ryan serves as the organization’s chairman and CEO.
Special Olympics Issues Report on the Impact of Special Olympics Healthy Athletes Initiative
Vice President Biden Visits 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games; Healthy Athletes Venue
A new report released Wednesday, February 11, 2009 by Special Olympics found that based on their reported level of physical activity, Special Olympics athletes are more physically active than members of the general population in the United States.
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden will visit the Healthy Athletes venue at the World Winter Games in Boise, Idaho on Thursday, February 12, 2009. He will meet with athletes being screened for vision, and strength and conditioning.
The Special Olympics Healthy Athletes program was launched in 1997 to provide health screenings for athletes at the local, national, and international level. The Special Olympics Sport and Empowerment Act of 2004, which provides funding for the Healthy Athletes program through the Departments of Health and Human Services, Education and State, is up for reauthorization this year.
The report, titled “Serving Athletes, Families and the Community” finds that there is a strong connection between Special Olympics participation and health physical activity. However, the statistics are not so favorable with health hurdles routinely handled by the public in general, including vision, hearing, and dental care. Healthy Athletes employs seven unique and free health screening options, educational information and referral for follow-up care. Services are provided by health care professionals who volunteer their time and talents to benefit this otherwise medically under-served population.
Every athlete competing in the 2009 World Games will have an opportunity to receive free health screening through the Healthy Athletes programs. Since its official launch in 1997, Healthy Athletes has provided more than 700,000 health screenings to Special Olympics athletes worldwide, trained more than 76,000 health care professionals in nearly 100 countries in every part of the globe on the specific health concerns faced by people with intellectual disabilities (ID), and given more than 50,000 pairs of eyeglasses to those that need them free of charge.
“Special Olympics has a global reach not only with participation in the World Games, but every day, in every part of the world,” said Timothy Shriver, Chairman of Special Olympics. “The global health crisis is particularly acute for those with intellectual disabilities. We are proud that the outreach and screening provided to athletes makes a huge difference in their ability to leave our competitions performing better and lead more productive, healthy lives. And it is our hope that more government leaders will realize that our health screenings not only change lives, but as proven over our 10 year history, this program saves lives.”
The Special Olympics Sport and Empowerment Act, HR-3151, authorized $15 million per year over five years in funding for the growth of Special Olympics Programs in communities across the United States and around the world, including expansion of sports programs, Healthy Athletes(R) screening services and education initiatives that foster greater understanding and respect for people with intellectual disabilities. The Act expires this year and Special Olympics hopes it will be championed for reauthorization.
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 programs for nearly 3 million children and adults with intellectual disabilities in more than 180 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. Visit Special Olympics at http://www.specialolympics.org/.