Special Olympics Georgia Receives $80,000 Grant From the UPS Foundation

/PRNewswire/ -- Special Olympics Georgia received an $80,000 grant from The UPS Foundation, the charitable arm of UPS (NYSE:UPS) . The grant will be used to support the year-round program of training and competition in 23 Olympic-type sports for individuals with intellectual disabilities throughout Georgia. Special Olympics Georgia (SOGA) offers five State Games each year and over 500 local (county) meets, tournaments and competitions and offers opportunities for thousands of volunteers. This grant from UPS will enable SOGA to continue to offer programming to almost 23,000 athletes at no cost to the individual or their family!

Georgia Milton-Sheats, Chief Executive Officer of Special Olympics Georgia, said, "Special Olympics Georgia is thrilled to be the recipient of a grant from The UPS Foundation. We admire the high energy and high level of enthusiasm the UPS volunteers show at all Special Olympics events and the athletes love it to! We are thankful to have a strong working partnership with UPS and value our relationship and everything that UPS does to support the 22,769 children and adults involved in Special Olympics Georgia."

Established in 1951 and based in Atlanta, GA, The UPS Foundation identified specific areas where its backing clearly impacts social issues. In support of this strategic approach, The UPS Foundation has identified the following focus areas for giving: non-profit effectiveness, economic & global literacy, encouraging diversity, community safety and environmental sustainability.

In 2008, The UPS Foundation distributed $46.9 million worldwide through grants that benefit organizations such as Special Olympics Georgia and provide support for building stronger communities.

"The UPS Foundation is committed to funding impactful programs that make a meaningful difference in our communities - so we are proud to support Special Olympics Georgia's efforts," said Ken Sternad, President of The UPS Foundation.

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Anniversary of Masters Waterski & Wake Board Tournament at Callaway Gardens Starts May 22‏

50th Anniversary of the Masters Water Ski & Wakeboard Tournament™ and the 17th Junior Masters Water Ski & Wakeboard Tournament at Robin Lake Beach, Callaway Gardens, Pine Mountain, Ga.

Friday, May 22
9:00 a.m. Junior Masters Elimination

Saturday, May 23
8:00 a.m. Junior Masters Finals
11:00 a.m. Masters Elimination Round
8:00 p.m. Movie premiere “Out of the Pond,” Mountain Creek Ballrooms (Free)

Sunday:
8:00 a.m. Chapel Service, Mountain Creek Ballrooms
10:00 a.m. Opening Ceremonies featuring the Red Bull Extreme Jump Team
10:30 a.m. Masters Finals
End of Tournament signaled by Red Bull Extreme Jump Team
7:00 p.m. (until 8:30) Beach Olympics with Michael Blair (Free)

Spectators enjoy the awesome, often breathtaking competition while lounging in the sun; playing in the water’s edge and celebrating the beginning of summer at Callaway Gardens. Young and old alike can enjoy the many attractions at Robin Lake Beach including the miniature train, miniature golf, shuffleboard and more.

BONUS:

In celebration of this golden anniversary, special activities including:

* Premiere of a new movie “Out of the Pond” by Billabong which takes wakeboarding to new territory
* Parachute jumps by the Red Bull Extreme Jump Team
* Fireworks display
* Movie on the Beach – a family-favorite “Goonies”
* Robin Lake Beach is open for the Summer (paddleboats, shuffle board, swimming and more)
* Free Admission for military to both Masters and Callaway Gardens
* And more

What a great way to spend the long holiday weekend!

The event is for anyone who enjoys a fun in the sun setting. The entertainment is the best water-skiers and wake boarders from around the globe who have gathered to compete for the world’s most coveted title of their sport – the Champion of the Masters!

Dusk Fireworks Display

Following Fireworks Kickoff of the Summer series “Movies on the Beach (following fireworks) presenting “Goonies”

Tickets

Adult:
Single day beach pass $20; 3-day beach pass n/a
Single day pavilion pass $40 each day; 3-day pavilion pass $105

Child:
Single day beach pass $10; 3-day beach pass n/a

Special: To show appreciation to our nation’s armed services Memorial Day Weekend, Military Appreciation Day at the Masters Water Ski & Wakeboard Tournament and Callaway Gardens. Both will provide free admission to those presenting valid military identification including active duty, reserve, National Guard, retiree and dependents.

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Student Groups to Host “Battle on the Mountain” Bull Riding

Berry will host the first “Battle on the Mountain Berry Bull Riding” event Friday, April 24, at the Gunby Equine Center on the Mountain Campus. Gates open at 6 p.m.; the rodeo gets under way at 8. Admission is $10 for the general public, $7 for non-Berry College students and free for children 5 and under.

The bull-riding event will consist of two action-packed rounds of competition featuring professional riders, including one representative of the World’s Toughest Cowboy Tour. Scores from the two rounds will be added together to determine the overall winner.

In addition to bull riding, many other activities also are planned. These include an opportunity to test your mettle on the mechanical Buck n’ Bull (a fundraiser for Berry’s Block and Bridle student organization) and pony rides for children. Concessions will be available on site, and souvenir t-shirts will be sold.

Sponsors include the Krannert Center Activities Board and Block and Bridle. Also helping to coordinate this event are Kevin Ellis, a professional bull rider and manager of the Gunby Equine Center, and Charlie Lowry, owner of 4LRodeo, the contractor for this event.

For more information concerning tickets or sponsorships, please contact the Krannert Center Activities Board at 706-236-2293, ext. 2429, or kcab@berry.edu.

Prepared by student writer Rachel Miller

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36 Countries Signed to Compete This Coming September at World Dart Championships in Charlotte, N.C.

(BUSINESS WIRE)--The best professional dart players in the world from over 36 nations will gather for four days (September 23rd through 26th) to determine who are the best in the world. This will be the largest international contingent of the best dart players in the universe to compete in the United States.

Sending competitors for the Men's, Woman's and Youth Divisions will be Australia, Brazil, England, Finland, Germany, The Netherlands, Rep. of Ireland, South Africa, Sweden, The United States and Wales.

Rounding out the 36 countries by sending competitors for the Men's and Women's divisions are Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Belize, Bermuda, Canada, Cayman Islands, Denmark, Iceland, India, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, North Ireland, Norway, Pakistan, Russia, Scotland, Spain, St. Lucia, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad/Tobago, Turkey, Turks & Caicos.

With national and international television coverage expected, the viewership will be a major boost for this sport with United States annual participation of 12.1 million recreational players annually.

Under the auspices of the World Darts Federation (WDF), and hosted by the American Darts Organization (ADO), this event will have between 8,000 and 10,000 spectators on-site over the four day period. With 64 dartboards in action in the Grand Ballroom of the Blake Hotel in downtown Charlotte, NC, from 9 AM to 6 PM daily.

The U.S. Men's Team includes Steve Brown, St. Louis, Jim Widmayer, New York, Brian Blake and Ryan Barnett, both from North Carolina with all having high hopes of winning and/or placing very high in the world standings. Their play over the past two years has made all four of them strong contenders. Marilyn Popp, Delaware, and Stacy Bromberg, Las Vegas, are veterans of the U.S. Woman's Team (each with individual national and international titles) that will be strong challengers for the Woman's Title.

Buddy Bartoletta, President of the hosting ADO, commented, "I’m proud of the international support and of our membership that is putting this world class event in the position of being the benchmark for future events of this caliber. We will do our best to make their competition one that will be remembered for years to come."

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Effort to Ban Technical Swimsuits Underway

/PRNewswire/ -- Swimmers and swimming families, usually a reserved bunch, are in an uproar over expensive, limited-use competition suits that have invaded the pool deck. As the world governing body of aquatic sports (FINA) meets in Dubai (UAE) March 12-14 to discuss whether to amend technical rules regarding competition wear, the swimming world is holding its collective breath to see what the future of the sport will be like. In spite of FINA's Rule SW10.7, "... no swimmer shall use a device that may aid his speed, buoyancy or endurance," technical suits, called equipment by some, were allowed in competition in the past year. As a consequence, 112 world records were smashed in the past year, erasing the extraordinary accomplishments of the greatest athletes the sport has ever seen. But what transpired in elite competition pales in comparison to what is going on at the grassroots level. A few examples follow:

-- Swimmers with technical suits cutting seconds off their best time and
beating those less fortunate without a suit
-- Parents huddled around the country in toilet cubicles squeezing their
children into difficult-to-put-on suits
-- Checkbook balances going down because of the cost of the suits
-- High school, club, and university coaches buying suits from other
countries because they aren't available to all
-- Kids peeing in pools and showers because the suits take too long to
put on and take off
-- Coaches training kids to swim differently to get the biggest benefit
from the suit
-- Swimmers being told to gain weight to get the full benefit from the
suit
-- Records earned from hard work being wiped out by athletes wearing the
suits

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Emory's Swimming and Diving Teams Win 11th-Consecutive UAA Championships

The Emory University men's and women's swimming and diving teams continued their streak of success at the University Athletic Association (UAA) Championships, winning their 11th-consecutive conference team championships on Saturday night in Chicago, IL.

Emory swimmers amassed a total of 14 individual and relay championships and 39 all-UAA honors (top-three finisher in an event) during the meet. In the process, Emory's athletes set seven University Athletic Association records and 10 pool records. In addition, Emory freshman Paul Weinstein earned Men's Rookie of the Year honors after finishing third in the 1,650-yard freestyle, 11th in the 500-yard freestyle, and 14th in the 200-yard backstroke.

The Emory men finished with 1694.5 points during the three-day championship meet, besting Carnegie Mellon University by a margin of 163 points. Following the top-two teams on the men's side were Washington University in St. Louis (1072 points), the University of Chicago (1049), New York University (1023), the University of Rochester (759), Case Western Reserve University (756.5) and Brandeis University (416.5).

On the final day of competition, junior Tom DiMarco earned his third individual championship of the meet, winning the 200-yard butterfly in a time of 1:52.33. Earlier in the meet, DiMarco won the 200-yard individual medley, setting a pool record, and the 200-yard freestyle.

Besides Weinstein's first all-UAA honor in the 1,650-yard freestyle, other top-three finishes for the Emory men's squad in the final day of competition came from Neil Ringer in the 200-yard backstroke (second place), Mackenzie Perry in the 200-yard butterfly (third place), and the Eagles 400-yard freestyle relay team (second place). In addition, diver Patrick Brady finished second in the one-meter dive, marking his second all-UAA honor of the meet.

All together, the Emory men earned five UAA Championships (DiMarco's three, Keith Diggs in the 400 IM, and the 200-yard medley relay team), while setting three pool records (DiMarco in the 200 IM, Diggs in the 400 IM, and the 200 medley relay team), and two conference records (200 medley relay team and Diggs).

The Emory women scored 1878.5 points during the meet, winning by over 400 points over the next-closest team, New York University (1449.5 points). Following the top-two were Carnegie (1063 points), Chicago (1028.5), Rochester (1006.5), Washington (848.5), Case (659.5) and Brandeis (614).

Sophomore Marie Kim won the only individual championship for the Eagles on the final day, winning the 200-yard breaststroke in a conference- and pool-record time of 2:23.43. The Eagles' 400-yard freestyle relay team also finished first, setting a pool- and conference-record time of 3:28.39. The Emory women's squad totaled nine UAA Championships during the meet (Liz Horvat in the 500 free and the 400 IM, Ruth Westby in the 200-yard freestyle, Jennifer Aronoff in the 100-yard breaststroke, Kim in the 200-yard breaststroke, and the 200 medley, 400 medley, 400 freestyle and 800 freestyle relay teams.

Earned all-UAA honors during the final day were Horvat and Kate Gunning in the 1,650 freestyle, Westby and Lillian Ciardelli in the 100-yard freestyle, and Mary Tripp in the 200-yard butterfly. Diver Chelsea Murphy also finished second in the three-meter dive with a qualifying score of 395.50, her second all-UAA finish of the meet.

During the three-day meet, Emory's women set conference records in the 500 freestyle (Horvat), the 200 breaststroke (Kim), and in the 200 medley, 400 freestyle, and 800 freestyle relays.

The championship is 11th overall for the Emory men, while the women have now won 17 UAA titles. The Eagles will now begin to turn their attention to the NCAA Division III National Championships in March, but will first host the Emory Invitational Last Chance meet next weekend at the Woodruff Physical Education Center.

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Special Olympics Georgia Launches Project UNIFY Initiative to Energize Youth

PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Special Olympics Georgia (SOGA) received $60,000 in funding to support the overall outreach initiative of the organization as part of Special Olympics' new national program, Project UNIFY.

Project UNIFY is a year-long project to activate young people across the country in an effort to promote school communities where all young people are agents of change -- fostering respect, dignity and advocacy for people with intellectual disabilities. Special Olympics believes through sports young people can make a difference in friendships, schools and communities.

Project UNIFY promotes a cultural shift and positions Special Olympics as a leading cause among youth -- as important, not just "nice," and as relevant to each of us, not just for "them." In addition, Project UNIFY leadership activities will help develop the next generation of leaders and advocates for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

"This project is an excellent opportunity for our Programs to get directly involved in a grass-roots effort to increase the number of Special Olympics opportunities for youth with and without intellectual disabilities, while increasing the number of state-wide sustained Special Olympics partnerships with schools," said Bob Gobrecht, Special Olympics North America Managing Director. "The need for programs like the ones Special Olympics offers that encourage positive school climates with safe and nurturing environments for all students is clear, especially in light of how inappropriate and discriminatory words and actions are becoming more and more common in our society."

Special Olympics Programs throughout the United States were invited to apply for funds to implement Project UNIFY activities that meet the initiative's objectives through a competitive grant process. Special Olympics Georgia will use their funding to support the Young Athletes, Get Into It, Unified and Traditional sports programs.

All of these initiatives will attract children and adults with intellectual disabilities into the Special Olympics program. "Our goal is to make all eligible individuals aware of the many year-round ways to get involved in our sports training and competition programs throughout the state," said SOGA CEO Georgia Milton-Sheats.

Project UNIFY was made possible by $4.4 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Education pursuant to fiscal 2008 appropriations under the authority of HR5131, "The Special Olympics Sport and Empowerment Act," and the "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act" which Special Olympics International received in June 2008.

To kick off Project UNIFY, 17 young people from across the country, aged 14-20, with and without intellectual disabilities, assembled in Washington, D.C., on 18-20 September for the first meeting of Project UNIFY's Youth Advisory Committee (YAC). The committee met during the Department of Education's 2008 Global Summit on Education, the theme of which was "Inclusive Practices for Students with Disabilities."

In addition to forming the Youth Advisory Committee, other overall Project UNIFY goals include promoting the Special Olympics "R-word" campaign, implementing a U.S. Special Olympics grant process for local Special Olympics Programs, hosting a Global Youth Congress as part of the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games, and participating in national forums and conferences on intellectual disabilities and education.

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AirTran Airways, Danica Patrick Put Atlanta Gamers in the Driver's Seat

PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:AAI) , today announced that IndyCar Series driver and 2008 Indy Japan 300 winner, Danica Patrick will be challenging three Atlanta residents racing skills via video game for a chance to win a roundtrip ticket to anywhere AirTran Airways flies in the U.S. The event, which will include approximately 50 gamers looking for a shot at taking on Patrick, will take place at the ESPN Zone Buckhead on November 12. The top three scorers will face-off against Danica in the final round.

"AirTran Airways and Danica Patrick are proud to provide racing fans with this unique opportunity to test their gaming skills against a real professional race car driver," said Tad Hutcheson, vice president of marketing and sales for AirTran Airways. "The lucky winner of the competition won't have to miss anything when he or she flies, because we offer free XM Satellite Radio at every seat, to ensure racing fans can listen to the IndyCar Series Racing channel."

"With all due respect to the challengers, I expect to win this competition," said Danica Patrick. "If you think you can beat me, bring it on."

Prospective contestants can enter at http://www.airtran.com/danica and all fans are welcome to come to the ESPN Zone to watch the competition. Directly after the racing competition, Patrick will be available for a Q & A session followed by a meet and greet. Be sure to arrive early as signatures and photos may be limited.

For complete contest rules and information see http://www.airtran.com/danica.

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Red Bull Metallicross Descends Upon Atlanta

PRNewswire/ -- As night falls on Saturday, November 1st, a sinister glow will emerge from the abandoned Pullman Train Depot as Red Bull Metallicross invades for a hybrid motocross competition in Atlanta, GA. Within the warehouse's graffiti-tagged brick walls and iron skeleton, a new event format will arise, giving the sport a gritty urban makeover as 100 riders converge for this one-of-a-kind motocross competition.

Set in the shadows of the city, the Pullman Train Depot is an abandoned transportation and industrial complex dating back to the start of the country's industrialization. A crossbreed of dirt and urban decay, the course will provide a unique layout that blends multiple disciplines -- motocross, supercross, endurocross and arenacross. A site that once marked the onset of the industrial revolution now marks a revolution for the sport of motocross.

With a ground-breaking course featuring steel berms, a supercross rhythm section, endurocross moguls, a variety of jumps and several transitions in and out of the building, Red Bull Metallicross will challenge even the most thrill-thirsty competitors to raise their level of competition. In addition to delivering a course unlike any other, the venue will also feature a number of custom ironwork pieces.

CALLING ALL RIDERS

Red Bull Metallicross is an AMA sanctioned "open class" event. There is a $50 entry fee for all competitors with $25,000 up for grabs to the top 12 finalists. Registration is first come first serve with a field of 100 riders split into 10 heats. Those advancing to the semifinals and last chance qualifier will compete for 12 spots in the main event.

Red Bull Metallicross is a free event for spectators and is accessible via MARTA at the Edgewood/Candler Park Station. Gates open to the public at 5:00 p.m. with the competition starting at 7:00 p.m. For registration details and additional information, visit http://www.redbullmetallicross.com/.

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Reality Climbers Compete Again, and Again, as Season Climbs On

Reality Climbers competed in two local competitions recently. One was held in Atlanta and one in Charlotte, North Caroline. Sixteen Reality Climbers attended the Atlanta event, and a dozen made the trip to Charlotte. Both local comps were stepping stones to the Regional, Divisional, and National competitions to be held in May, June and July.

Local comps are conducted using the “redpoint” format, which allows climbers 5 attempts to complete each route. The Regional, Divisional, and National competitive events utilize the “on-site” format, where each climber is allowed only one attempt per route, and is scored based on highest hold on the wall they successfully have control of during their climb.

In preparation for the upcoming Championship Climbing Season, Team Reality’s upper division climbers chose to challenge themselves and treat the two most recent local comps as if they were Championship events, only allowing themselves one try per route. Their results were very impressive and the team is not only looking forward to their next challenge, but ready for what it holds.

A suspense-filled climb-off between three climbers was the highlight of the Atlanta competition. Two of Reality’s climbers, MasAnne Fulmer and Victoria White (pictured), were part of a three-way tie which required the climb-off to be conducted. Holding everyone’s attention, both girls did a fabulous job representing Reality and securing top spots in the climb-off.

The highlight of the Charlotte competition was the outdoor location. The outdoor climb was held at the U.S. National Whitewater Center, an outdoor facility just west of Charlotte. In addition to the climbing competition, which attracted climbers from throughout the southeast, various Olympic kayakers were qualifying for the 2008 Olympic games. Reality Climbers performed very well, although the competition was cut short by inclement weather.

Climbers who have successfully competed in three local competitions look forward to and set their minds and prepare their bodies for the next step, Regional Competition, where the top 6 climbers in each age group category are invited to the Divisional Climbing Championship, which is in North Carolina in June. From the Regional Climbing Competition, top climbers are invited to the National Climbing Championship, which is held in Sunnyvale, California in July.
Reality Climbers climb and train at Reality Climbing, an indoor climbing facility on the border of Tyrone and Peachtree City.