Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/401422
42 • NOVEMBER 2014 • WORLD FENCE NEWS California Chapter demos promote Special Olympics World Games Organizers of the 2015 Special Olympics World Games, which will be held in Los Angeles July 25-Aug. 2, 2015, recently requested that the Cali- fornia Chapter AFA set up two Bocce courts on the lawn of Maria Shriver's home to offer the sport as an oppor- tunity for guests at a promotional and fundraising event to have interaction with Special Olympics Southern Cali- fornia athletes. The California Chapter for a num- ber of years has supported the Special Olympics, and has been the driving force behind the Bocce event. (Bocce is a ball sport similar in some ways to lawn bowling.) The California Chapter set up the courts at Shriver's home in Los Ange- les on the evening of September 26. Shriver is, of course, the daughter of Eunice Kennedy Schriver, who found- ed the Special Olympics in 1968. The event was hosted by Muhtar Kent, CEO of Coca-Cola, Inc., to pro- mote and help fund the Special Olym- pics World Games. "The California Chapter has had more and more requests for the demonstrations of Bocce to raise awareness of the public and attract participation via interaction with Spe- cial Olympics athletes," according to chapter Bocce event coordinator Terry Slattery. "Bocce has become the preferred public relations demonstra- tion sport of Special Olympics. "We expect additional requests for the Bocce demos to continue through February and into March, 2015," Slat- tery added. "The chapter will be busy setting up courts and providing per- sonnel in March, April and May for the Special Olympics Southern Cali- fornia area and regional Bocce games throughout Southern California." The next major Special Olympics event leading up to the World Games is the annual Special Olympics South- ern California Summer Games to be held at Cal-State Long Beach, June 12 -14, 2015. The California Chapter has been the offi cial venue sponsor for Bocce since 2004 and has been an integral part in the development of the South- ern California Special Olympics Boc- ce program since 1999 by providing portable courts, recruiting volunteers and other services, noted Pat Dowl- ing, also a Bocce event coordinator. To see details of the chapter's sponsorship of the 2014 Summer Games, visit www.la2015/2014-invi- tational/sponsors. The 2015 Special Olympics World Games is expected to host 177 coun- tries, 7,000 athletes, 3,000 coaches, 30,000 volunteers, and 500,000 spec- tators speaking 50+ languages. Twenty-six events will be con- ducted at 13 venues. The Bocce event will be held at the L. A. Convention Center on 16 courts. Some 320 ath- letes will compete in 750 games over eight days of competition. On-going Special Olympics World Games information is available at www.la2015.org. The California Chapter of the American Fence Association, under the direction of president Jason Biddle and the board of directors, has com- mitted to continue its support of the Special Olympics Southern California Bocce program through 2015 and help with the Bocce program of the Spe- cial Olympics World Games, Dowling added. AFA California Chapter contacts for additional information regarding 2015 Southern California Special Olympics activities are: Terry Slat- tery, 909-225-6672, slats@prodigy. net; and Pat Dowling, 626-610-5712, pjdowl75@yahoo.com. Maria Schriver addresses the guests, along with her brother, Tim Schriver. Above, athletes and guests prepare to partake of Bocce. Muhtar Kent, CEO of Coca-Cola, Inc., urges guests to support the Games. The Bocce courts are set up and ready for the action to begin. (Photos by Terry Slattery, California Chapter) LQIR#UKLQRWRROFRPZZZUKLQRWRROFRP 7KH)HQFH&RQWUDFWRU·V %HVW)ULHQG *3' )HQFH3UR (QJLQHHUHGIRU025(SRZHUDQG HTXLSSHGZLWKD LQFKFKXFN WRGULYHODUJHUSRVWV )CU2QYGTGF&TKXGT SAFEGLIDE %(67*$7(6 %(67785167,/(6 %(67+$5':$5( All of our gates are aluminum, extremely durable, rustproof and maintenance-free. Their light weight minimizes stress on the mechanics and extends the life of the gate operators, outlasting traditional alternatives by years. Each gate and hardware assembly comes with a three-year limited warranty. AT L A N TA ( 7 7 0 ) 9 5 5 - 4 4 11 C H I CAG O ( 6 3 0 ) 4 2 6 - 0 0 2 2 D E N V E R ( 3 0 3 ) 2 8 8 - 7 0 0 3 TA M PA ( 8 13 ) 8 8 1- 12 0 0 zŽƵƌƐŝŶŐůĞƐŽƵƌĐĞƉƌŽǀŝĚĞƌŽĨŐĂƚĞ͕ĂĐĐĞƐƐĐŽŶƚƌŽůƐ͕ŽƉĞƌĂƚŽƌƐĂŶĚŚĂƌĚǁĂƌĞ͘ǁǁǁ͘'ϴƉƌŽ͘ĐŽŵ SLIDE GATES | SWING GATES | CRASH GATES | CUSTOM GATES AND FABRICATION MADE IN USA Booth No. 924