01 Nov Local officials meet with representatives from Special Olympics
October 30, 2017
Recently, local leaders met with representatives from Special Olympics World Winter Games at the ROOST Lake Placid office to discuss potentially hosting the event in our region, and what host year would be appropriate should it be pursued. The meeting also included Lake Placid resident John Piestrzynski, a cross-country silver medalist, who shared his experience from the 2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Austria. The preliminary visit included a brief tour of area winter sports venues.
The Special Olympics World Winter Games is the largest sports organization for adults and children with intellectual disabilities. The organization provides sport opportunity, competition, and training for athletes year round. The most recent Special Olympic World Winter Games were held in Austria in 2017. Official winter sports for the Special Olympics include: alpine skiing, short track speed skating, cross-country skiing, snowboarding, figure skating, snowshoeing, floorball, and floor hockey. Other non-sport events would include Opening Ceremony, Closing Ceremony, awards ceremonies, and torch runs.
The last time the Special Olympic World Winter Games were held in the United States was in 2009, in Boise.
Left to right: Jay Rand, former Olympian; Anne Marie Nightingale, Special Olympics; Jeff Bryne, ORDA; Kim Widdess, Special Olympics; Lou Lauria, Special Olympics; John Piestrzynski, Special Olympics athete; Craig Randall, mayor of Lake Placid; Jim McKenna, CEO of ROOST.
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