Preparations are well underway as the City of Santa Clarita local organizing committee, Host Town Santa Clarita, prepares to welcome visiting delegates from El Salvador, Faroe Islands, Philippines and Malawi. The Host Town committee is working with local Girl Scouts on a variety of items to welcome visiting Special Olympics athletes.

The Host Town Santa Clarita program will take place from July 21 – 24, 2015, prior to the Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles. As a designated Host Town, the City of Santa Clarita will welcome athletes into the community, providing them with a relaxing, fun filled and culturally immersive experience during their stay.

Local Girl Scout troops are creating welcome cards, decorating pillow cases, prepping snack packs, sewing and assembling customized drawstring bags, collecting water and linens, baking desserts and putting together a video for visiting athletes to take home with them that captures their time in Santa Clarita. The troops will also be decorating function halls and assisting participants during different events, such as a scheduled parade inside the Westfield Valencia Town Center and a picnic at Six Flags Magic Mountain.

“The City of Santa Clarita is thrilled to see members of all ages of the community come together to welcome these talented athletes to our City.” said Mayor Marsha McLean. “On behalf of the entire City, we’re honored to have our visiting Special Olympics World Games delegations here in our wonderful City.”

A variety of sponsors will be assisting with Host Town Activities. The Master’s College, Diamond sponsor of Host Town Santa Clarita, will provide housing, facilities, activities and student assistance. Gold Medal sponsors include The Hartmann Family, Lockheed Martin AERO Club and the City of Santa Clarita. Kaiser Permanente, Logix Federal Credit Union, Real Life Church, American Trust Escrow, Poole and Shaffery LLP, Tolman and Wiker Insurance Services, Custom Caterers Fit, Afterburn Fitness, Six Flags Magic Mountain and C.A.M. Johnson Family Foundation are this year’s Silver Medal sponsors. Additional supporters are AMS Fulfillment Services, D.B. Commercial Investments, HavenHouse Church, LDS Church of Valencia, Marisa Mora, Meridian, The Sprindt Family, United Staffing Services and Westfield Valencia Town Center.

Newest Silver Medal sponsor Kaiser Permanente, founding champion sponsor and official Total Health partner for the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Los Angeles, will sponsor the Welcome Breakfast held on July 22, 2015, for all athletes staying with the Host Town Santa Clarita.

“These athletes show us how important it is to be brave, inspire us in their ability to overcome challenges and are everyday examples of personal empowerment,” said David Wong, MD and Physician-in-Charge at Kaiser Permanente Santa Clarita. “I, along with everyone from Kaiser Permanente, am honored to be among the first to welcome these delegates to Santa Clarita and to all of those competing in the Special Olympics World Summer Games – Good Luck!”

The community is invited to meet the visiting athletes at two upcoming local events. The first of the two events, the Welcome Party, will be held on Wednesday, July 22, at 9:00 a.m. at The Master’s College in Music Recital Hall, located at 24736 Quigley Canyon Road. The second opportunity will take place during an indoor parade on Thursday, July 23, beginning at 2:00 p.m. at Westfield Valencia Town Center, located at 24201 Valencia Blvd. Residents are invited to welcome and cheer on the visiting delegation of 140 participants from the four visiting countries before they head to Los Angeles to participate in the Games.

About the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games

With 7,000 athletes and 3,000 coaches representing 177 countries, along with 30,000 volunteers and an anticipated 500,000 spectators, the 2015 Special Olympics World Games – being staged in Los Angeles July 25 – August 2, 2015 – will be the largest sports-and-humanitarian event anywhere in the world in 2015, and the single biggest event in Los Angeles since the 1984 Olympic Games. The 2015 Special Olympics World Games, with the unparalleled spirit, enthusiasm, teamwork, joy and displays of courage and skill that are hallmarks of all Special Olympics events, will feature 25 Olympic-style sports in venues throughout the Los Angeles region.  The Opening Ceremony, to be held July 25, 2015 in the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, site of the 1932 and 1984 Olympic Games, is expected to attract 80,000 spectators. On April 30, 2014, LA2015 and ESPN announced a global programming deal that will see ESPN bring coverage of World Games to millions of fans around the world. Honorary Chairs of the Games are President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and California Governor Jerry Brown serving as Honorary Hosts. Current Founding Champions and sponsors include The Coca-Cola Company, Mattel, Deloitte, Kaiser Permanente, Davis Elen Advertising, AEG, David Geffen, Steven Spielberg and his wife Kate Capshaw, The Walt Disney Company, Knights of Columbus and Bank of America. LA2015, the Games Organizing Committee, is a recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.  For more information on the 2015 Special Olympics World Games, including volunteer and sponsorship opportunities, visit www.LA2015.org.