Special Olympics Florida's
7th Annual Champions' Gala

 

Saturday, February 13, 2010
6:00 p.m. - Midnight
Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando

 

The 7th Annual Champions’ Gala is a spectacular event supporting people with intellectual disabilities throughout the state.  The Gala provides a unique opportunity to learn first-hand the stories of courage and triumph from the athletes themselves.  You’ll see that Special Olympics is no longer just an event. We are a movement, inviting the world not just to attend games, but to think, feel, and act differently about people with intellectual disabilities.  The night will feature a gourmet dinner, incredible silent and live auctions, entertainment and stories that celebrate the power of the human spirit.

 

 Title Sponsor:

 Hosted By:

 

 

Schedule of Events

6:00 p.m. Cocktails and Silent Auction
7:45 p.m. Gourmet Dinner
9:30 p.m. Live Auction
10:00 p.m. Live Concert and Dancing

 

From the Gala Chairperson

It is my pleasure to serve as Gala Chairperson for the 7th Annual Champions’ Gala benefiting Special Olympics Florida. I personally want to thank each of you for your support and participation.

Together, we are helping to fulfill the hopes and dreams of countless athletes.  In Special Olympics, the athletes are the heart of the movement. Our athletes not only have the opportunity to develop physical fitness and become competitive athletes, but through sport, they build selfesteem, social skills, friendships, leadership skills, have fun and learn life lessons that translate into their lives away from the playing field, making them more productive and accepted members of society.

Special Olympics is a worldwide movement in which our efforts combine to inspire much-deserved dignity and respect for people with disabilities. I am often awed at the achievements of a committed and caring group of people like you. Please never underestimate how your generosity brings to life the mission of Special Olympics – and all at no cost to the athletes or their families.

Speaking on behalf of everyone who is hard at work organizing another successful Gala, my sincere thanks.

Sherry Berlin, Gala Chairperson

 

Why Special Olympics Florida?

Special Olympics is the world’s largest program of sports training and athletic competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities serving more than 3 million persons in more than 180 nations. Here in Florida, we currently train 15,000 athletes who compete year round, in sports of their choice.

Through the programs Special Olympics offers, children and adults with intellectual disabilities not only develop physical fitness and a healthier lifestyle, but more importantly, gain self-confidence, develop necessary socialization skills and learn life lessons that empower them to be more accepted, included and contributing members in their communities.

When you invest in a life the return can be far beyond your imagination. For a person with intellectual disabilities, the return on investment is immeasurable: hope, dignity, improved health, a new voice to express his or her most basic human needs, wants and concerns... and a chance to achieve in ways that bring life-changing confidence and joy. For the community, your support triggers a ripple effect of human interaction that fosters friendship, inspires leadership, dispels ignorance and reinforces the power of a single act to promote attitudes of acceptance and inclusion.

Our athletes want to have friends, they want to work, they want to be a part of society, but what they need is a supportive environment where they can take their first steps towards success and inclusion: that is the promise of Special Olympics.

 

 
 

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