FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2018 Special Olympics USA Games Announces "Rise with Us" Party
Fundraising event offers chance to meet an array of local sports and entertainment celebrities including Steve Largent, Marshawn Lynch, Gary Payton and Breanna Stewart
SEATTLE – April 12, 2017 – The 2018 Special Olympics USA Games (www.SpecialOlympicsUSAGames.org) announced today details of the organization’s first public fundraising event, "Rise with Us." Proceeds from the event will benefit the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games and the 4,000 athletes and coaches expected to compete. The 2018 Special Olympics USA Games will be held in Seattle July 1-6, 2018.
What: "Rise with Us," a fundraiser to benefit the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games When: Thursday, May 25, 2017; 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Where: Seattle Waterfront, Pier 57 (Miner’s Landing)
Party guests can meet and mingle with Seattle sports and entertainment stars, as well as athletes from Special Olympics Washington, while enjoying hors d'oeuvres, beverages and live music by local swing band Portage Bay Big Band. Local luminaries scheduled to attend include Steve Largent, Marshawn Lynch, Gary Payton and Breanna Stewart. A complete list of celebrities expected to attend as of today follows below; additional celebrity appearances will be announced as the event approaches.
A major highlight of the evening will be the opportunity for guests to ride the Seattle Great Wheel with one of their favorite celebrities in attendance.
“Hosting the Special Olympics USA Games is a huge honor for Seattle, and a chance to roll out the red carpet for the athletes who have worked so hard for this competition," said Beth Knox, president and CEO of the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games. "In addition to the support of our corporate partners, it will take the support of the broader community to host the Games and 'Rise with Us' gives individuals the chance to participate on the ground level in one of the most significant sporting events to hit the Puget Sound region in more than 25 years."
For the latest list of celebrity guests scheduled to attend and to purchase advance tickets please visit http://www.specialolympicsusagames.org/party. Ticket prices are $250 per person for the party and a ride on the Great Wheel with a celebrity guest; $150 per person for the party only.
Rise with Us is supported by grant funding from The Wells Fargo Foundation.
List of Celebrities Scheduled to Attend (as of April 12, 2017):
Devon Adelman, Special Olympics Washington Jordan Babineaux, Seattle Seahawks Chris Daniels, KING 5 News Kate Deines, Seattle Reign FC Jason Finn, Presidents of the United States of America (Drummer) Taylor Graham, Seattle Sounders FC Shellie Hart, Warm 106.9 Brock Huard, ESPN/UW Football Kasey Keller, ESPN/Seattle Sounders FC Cortez Kennedy, Seattle Seahawks Steve Largent, Seattle Seahawks Roger Levesque, Seattle Sounders FC Sean Locklear, Seattle Seahawks Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Seahawks Dave Mahler, 950 KJR Jen Mueller, ROOT Sports Rob Munn, US Rowing/UW alum Chuck Nelson, UW Football Gary Payton, Seattle SuperSonics Breanna Stewart, Seattle Storm Courtney Thompson, USA Volleyball/UW alum Matt Trouville, Seattle Saracens Marcus Trufant, Seattle Seahawks Slick Watts, Seattle SuperSonics Jim Zorn, Seattle Seahawks
About the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games The Special Olympics USA Games will be held in Seattle, Washington July 1-6, 2018. Four thousand (4,000) athletes and coaches representing 52 state programs, with the support of tens of thousands of volunteers and spectators, will compete in an array of Olympic-type team and individual sports. The 2018 Special Olympics USA Games will celebrate the Special Olympics movement and its 50th anniversary; promote the ideals of acceptance and inclusion through sport; and showcase athletes from throughout the U.S. and the abilities of people with intellectual disabilities. The 2018 USA Games will also highlight Special Olympics’ work in sport, education, health and community-building.
For more information on the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games, please visit www.SpecialOlympicsUSAGames.org and follow on Facebook (@SpecialOlympicsUSAGames), Twitter (@2018USAGames) and YouTube (subscribe to the Special Olympics USA Games channel).
2018 Special Olympics USA Games Sponsors Microsoft, Kaiser Permanente, ESPN, The Coca-Cola Company, Bank of America, KPMG, Starbucks, The Boeing Company, Alaska Airlines
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Media Contact Jaymelina Esmele, Special Olympics USA Games (206) 900-9490, x115 [email protected]