SUBMITTED NEWS RELEASE
RENO, Nev. – The Reno Tahoe Winter Games Coalition (RTWGC) and the Junior Ski Program at Sky Tavern are teaming up to host Olympic Day Family Festival 2011. Every year, Olympic Day is celebrated by thousands of people in more than 160 countries. Commemorating the birth of the modern Olympic Games, Olympic Day is not only a celebration, but an international effort to promote fitness and well-being in addition to fostering Olympic ideals of Fair Play, Perseverance, Respect and Sportsmanship.
This exciting event, the first in northern Nevada, will be held Saturday June 25 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Mackay Stadium at the University of Nevada. This is a free event for the entire family with children and adults of all ages encouraged to participate.
A wide variety of Olympic sports will be available – from both the winter and summer games. In track and field, there will be pole vault, the high jump, 50 meter races, and shuttle relays. For those interested in gymnastics, there will be tumbling competitions. A ground level balance beam will be set up so participants can, from a safe height, see what it is like to use the apparatus. Other sports include fencing, weight lifting, and curling. The Junior Ski Program will be setting up their inflatable ski hill and hosting ski and board races.
Local Paralympian Ricci Kilgore, 1996 Olympic synchronized swimming gold metal champion Jill Savery, and three time Olympic alpine skier and 1983 World Cup overall champion Tamara McKinney will be at Olympic Family Festival Day 2011. Jill and Tamara will talk about their Olympic achievements and Ricci will demonstrate her monoski racing wheel chair and speak about her inspirational life. Other Olympians are also expected to attend.
“This is going to be a great event for families,” Jon Killoran, C.E.O. for the RTWGC, said. “It’s a great way to learn about Olympic values and sportsmanship.”
The RTWGC is dedicated to having the Reno/Tahoe area selected as the next North American region to host an Olympic winter games and is partnering with groups such as the Junior Ski Program to build relationships throughout the region. By developing associations and focusing on the area’s resources, RTWGC hopes to be in a good position to bid on a winter games when and if the United States Olympic Committee asks for one.
For more information on Olympic Day Family Festival 2011, contact Jon Killoran at 775-622-3345. For specific sport inquiries, contact Paul Heglar at 775-622-1889.
