The World Games are Coming to Los Angeles - July 2015

Founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the Special Olympics movement has grown to more than 4.4 million athletes in 170 countries. With support of more than 1.3 million coaches and volunteers, Special Olympics delivers 32 Olympic type sports events and more than 94,000 competitions and games through out the year. The first international Special Olympic Summer Games was held in July of 1968 at Solider Field in Chicago, Illinois. Many athletes participant in floor hockey, swimming and track and field just to name a few of the competitions. In 1971, the U.S. Olympic Committee gave approval for the word Olympic to be used by the United States and the first ever Law Enforcement Torch Run was held in Wichita, Kansas. In 1989, Special Olympics launched Unified Sports, in which people with intellectual disabilities and those with no disabilities could play in the competition games together. In January, 1997 Special Olympics decide to start its Healthy Habits program in which athletes would get free hearing, dental, vision and nutritional education. 1998, Special Olympics celebrated its 30th anniversary with the “Sargent Shiver International Global Messenger” program. 12 men and women held the position of Global Messenger for a two year term. In 2000, the Campaign for Special Olympics sets unprecedented goals to raise more than $120 million dollars in a 5-year period. In 2005, the “Ringer” starring Johnny Knoxville had over 150 Special Olympics athletes participating in the movie. In September 2011, it was announced that Los Angeles California would host the Summer World Games in 2015. The Special Olympics World games are coming to Los Angeles, California on July 25, 2015 – August 2, 2015 athletes from around the world will be participating in the World games in Los Angeles. Athletes compete in many different sports such as Bocca, Basketball, Track and Field, Swimming and many other events. The Special Olympics World Games will be played at UCLA, USC, Downtown Los Angeles, Long Beach and Encino. There will be the torch run starting in Sacramento and ending at the Los Angeles Coliseum. For times to see the torch run, please check www.la2015.org. The SCLARC Consumer Advisory Committee will be cheering the athletes as “Fans in Stands” on July 25, July 27, July 28, July 29, July 30 and July 31, 2015. For more information, please contact the Consumer Advocate Desiree Boykin at (213) 743-3071 or by email desireeb@sclarc.org.