SB Marks 100 Days to Special Olympics Games

The 100-day countdown to the start of the 2015 Special Olympics World Games begins April 16. The largest sporting event in Los Angeles since the 1984 Olympics, the 25-sport competition takes place July 25 through Aug. 2, 2015, with 7,000 athletes and 3,000 coaches from 177 countries.

Santa Barbara, one of 100 Host Towns in California, welcomes 100 athletes from four countries July 21-24, 2015. The delegations come from Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and St. Kitts and Nevis. Athletes will stay at Westmont, use the college’s facilities for training, and visit various locations throughout Santa Barbara to learn about the city’s culture. Activities will include a visit to the Museum of Natural History, a dinner dance at the Cabrillo Arts Center, a trip to the Santa Barbara Zoo, and a barbecue on Leadbetter Beach.

“We’re excited about welcoming the athletes to Santa Barbara and look forward to showing off the city,” says Jerry Siegel, Host Town committee chair. “We’re honored to support these athletes and celebrate their courage, determination and joy.”

Generous Host Town sponsors include Montecito Bank and Trust (Champion Sponsor) and Pacific Western Bank (Gold Sponsor). Non-profit sponsors have made gracious donations:  Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, the Santa Barbara Zoo and Westmont College. American Riviera Bank, Union Bank and the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table support Host Town activities as Bronze Sponsors.

More than 4.4 million children and adults with intellectual disabilities participate in Special Olympics worldwide, with 226 programs in 170 countries. Last year, Special Olympics held more than 81,000 competitions, and some 1.3 million volunteers make these events possible. Special Olympics athletes, who include people of all ages, have an intellectual disability; athletes with physical disabilities compete in the Paralympics.