For Immediate Release
Contact: Cary McPartlin
June 9, 2009 Special Olympics
+1 (202) 824-0298
cmcpartlin@specialolympics.org
Major League Wives “Step Up to the Plate” for Special Olympics
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Special Olympics announced today a new partnership with the Baseball Wives Charitable Foundation (BWCF) and the BWCF “Step Up to the Plate” initiative to raise money for Special Olympics programs nationwide. Step Up to the Plate is a physical activity and fitness initiative that helps promote and reinforce the President’s Challenge, a program of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, raising awareness of the benefits of physical fitness and a healthy lifestyle.
The BCWF has also dedicated the 2009 MLB season to providing support to families whose members have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), many of whom are already served by Special Olympics. This summer the foundation will hold a fundraiser, “Race Around the Bases,” to raise money in supporting both groups.
Race Around the Bases is one of the components of the Step Up to the Plate initiative. It pits the wives of the National League baseball players against those of the American League in a good-natured competition to raise funds for a worthy cause. From June 10 to July 23, 2009 a portion of the proceeds from ‘Race Around the Bases’ will be donated to the Special Olympics.
“It’s truly a home run opportunity for us to partner with the Baseball Wives Charitable Foundation,” said Bob Gobrecht, Managing Director for Special Olympics North America. “Their mission to raise awareness regarding the benefits of physical fitness directly relates to our core mission to provide sports training and competition to individuals with intellectual disabilities.”
Wives of MLB players, their families and the public are invited to join in the Race Around the Bases fundraiser. To follow their fundraising progress, visit their Web site to see how it is going; each base represents $25,000 gained for this initiative.
For more information about Race Around the Bases and to donate, please visit http://www.baseballwivescharitablefoundation.com/
Special Olympics
Special Olympics is an international organization that changes lives by encouraging and empowering people with intellectual disabilities, promoting acceptance for all, and fostering communities of understanding and respect worldwide. Founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the Special Olympics movement has grown from a few hundred athletes to nearly 3.1 million athletes in 175 countries in all regions of the world, providing year-round sports training, athletic competition and other related programs. Special Olympics now takes place every day, changing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities in places like China and from regions like the Middle East to the community playgrounds and ball fields in every small neighborhood. Special Olympics provides people with intellectual disabilities continuing opportunities to realize their potential, develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage and experience joy and friendship. Visit Special Olympics at www.specialolympics.org.
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