MEDIA ALERT Contact: Debbie Horne Cell 203-889-6002; Email [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Special Olympics to Host Annual Unified Sports® Holiday Classic, November 19 & 20

What: The 2016 Special Olympics Unified Sports® Holiday Classic presented by the Connecticut Elks Association.

Who: Athletes of all abilities from across the state. More than 2,300 athletes and Unified Sports® partners (their teammates without intellectual disabilities) are expected to participate, with support from about 500 coaches and 800 volunteers supporting the event. The public is invited to attend at no cost to share in the joy, excitement and celebration of the competition.

When: Saturday, November 19th and Sunday, November 20th, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. Opening ceremonies at most venues will take place at 9 a.m. on Saturday.

Where:

®  Unified Sports at Quinnipiac University, 275 Mount Carmel Avenue, Hamden and Cheshire Academy,

10 Main Street, Cheshire (new venue) ®  Traditional and Unified Sports Bowling at AMF Lanes, 1717 Boston Post Road, Milford and AMF Circle Lanes,

525 Main Street, East Haven

®  Traditional and Unified Sports Powerlifting at High School, 480 Sherman Parkway, New Haven

(Saturday only)

®  Unified Sports Volleyball at Athletic Center, 480 Sherman Parkway, New Haven

Formerly known as the Special Olympics Connecticut Holiday Sports Classic, the event’s new name - Unified Sports® Holiday Classic - reflects the fact that all the sports played throughout the weekend include Unified competition. Special Olympics recently celebrated over 1 million participants in its Unified Sports® program worldwide. In Connecticut and around the globe, an increasing number of individuals with and without intellectual disabilities are playing on the same team, with the same rules and with the same determination and joy.

In addition to the Connecticut Elks Association, sponsors include Comcast and Quinnipiac University – Gold Sponsors; AND1, IBM, LAZ Charitable Foundation, Synchrony, and Webster Bank – Bronze Sponsors – and The New Haven Register, NBC Connecticut and iHeart Radio Connecticut, Media Sponsors.

About Special Olympics Connecticut Special Olympics Connecticut provides year-round sports training and competitions for close to 13,000 athletes of all ages with intellectual disabilities and Unified Sports® partners - their teammates without disabilities. Through the joy of sport, the Special Olympics movement transforms lives and communities throughout the state and in 170 countries around the world by promoting good health and fitness and inspiring inclusion and respect for all people, on and off the playing field. (www.soct.org)

Partner Sponsors: Adams Hometown Markets/IGA Hometown Supermarkets, Dream Ride, ESPN, Eversource Energy, Golisano Foundation, Law Enforcement Torch Run, NBC Connecticut, TD Bank, United Technologies and WWE. Year- Round Suppliers: Adams Hometown Markets/IGA Hometown Supermarkets, Campus Customs, The Coca-Cola Company, Connecticut Portable Storage/PODS, Crystal Rock Water and Coffee Company, Dunkin’ Donuts, Graebel Moving Services, LLC, Guida’s Milk and Ice Cream, Lamar Outdoor Advertising, Marcus Communications, State of Connecticut Judicial Branch Community Service and WORX. --##--