WATERBURY WELCOMES 40 SPECIAL OLYMPICS BASKETBALL TEAMS ON SATURDAY

What:           2013 Special Olympics CT Northwest Regional Basketball Invitational

When:          Saturday, March 16, 2013; First game begins at 8:30 am

                    Opening Ceremonies at 12:00 Noon at Holy Cross High School

Where:        Holy Cross High School, Chase Collegiate, Chase Park House and Kennedy High School

Ed Generali, Head Coach of Boys’ Basketball at Holy Cross High School, and students from Holy Cross High School have prepared for the arrival of 40 Special Olympics Basketball teams from throughout Connecticut.  Coach Generali now in his 27^th year as volunteer Event Director reinforces the need for students at Holy Cross to give back to their community. Student volunteers, interacting with athletes with intellectual disabilities, help to create an environment of inclusion. Teams will gather this Saturday, March 16, joined by 55 athletes taking part in dribbling, shooting and passing events as part of the Individual Skills Competition.  

“This event signifies the true meaning of participation”, commented Nora Mason, Regional Director for Special Olympics.  “Student volunteers helping athletes with intellectual disabilities participate, so that they too will know the meaning of what it is like to be a part of a team; to experience joy; to feel a sense of pride in one’s accomplishments. It’s an amazing day in Waterbury.”   

Sponsors of the 2013 event include Naugatuck Savings Bank Foundation, Thomaston Savings Bank Foundation and The Palace Theater.

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The mission of Special Olympics Connecticut is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities by giving them continuing opportunity to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other athletes and the community. Special Olympics is an international sports organization serving nearly 4 million athletes. Special Olympics Connecticut provides year-round sports training and competitions for nearly 15,000 children and adults with intellectual disabilities and Unified Partners (their teammates without disabilities). Through a myriad of initiatives throughout the state and the world, Special Olympics is a movement that’s changing attitudes and changing lives by inspiring inclusion, understanding and respect for people of all abilities, in all aspects of life. (www.soct.org)

Partner Sponsors: Adams Hometown Markets/IGA Hometown Supermarkets, Connecticut Light & Power/Yankee Gas/ Western Massachusetts Electric (Northeast Utilities Companies), Law Enforcement Torch Run, NBC Connecticut, TD Bank, and United Technologies.

Year-Round Sponsors: Adams Hometown Markets/IGA Hometown Supermarkets, The Coca-Cola Bottling Company of New England, Crystal Rock Water and Coffee Company, Graebel Trucking, Guida’s Dairy, Marcus Communications, State of Connecticut Judicial Branch Community Service and Worx Branding & Advertising.