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Celebrating VictoriesFrom rst trips to Summer Games

and gold medals to new riends and

shows o sportsmanship, athletes

had a lot to celebrate beore heading

home rom the Games. They had

the opportunity to come together

and do just that on Saturday night

at Victory Dance and Closing

Ceremonies. Even exhaustion rom

two days o tough competition and

high temperatures couldnt stop

them rom rolicking on the eld

and showing o their hottest dance

moves among riends new and old.

During Closing Ceremonies, athletes were commended or

their eorts and accomplishments beore the Flame o Hope

was ceremoniously passed by Brian Riddle o Venus I.S.D. in

the Greater Fort Worth area to Tony Whitley o the Magnolia

Magic in the Heart o East Texas area. This hand-o symbolized

the closing o the 2011 Summer Games and the passing o the

torch to College Station, the host o the 2011 Fall Classic.

Congratulations to all o the athletes who were

brave in the attempt this weekend and

thank you to all o the volunteers, coaches,

sponsors, amilies and ans who made the

Games possible!

Sunday,

7715 Chevy Chase Drive, Suite 120

Austin, TX 78752

1.800.876.5646

www.specialolympicstexas.org

Facebook

www.acebook.com/SpecialOlympicsTX

Twitter

www.twitter.com/SOTexas

YouTube

www.youtube.com/SpecialOlympicsTexas

Gold Medal Sponsors:

AllyAmerican EurocopterApproach Resources

BrandtCVS Caremark

NikeNorthrop Grumman

Reddy IceTexas Roadhouse

UPS

Blue Ribbon Sponsors:ChartisCigna

Hotels or HopeKPMG

SiemensToyota o Fort Worth

Special Friends ofSpecial Olympics Texas:Arlington Kiwanis Club

Ft.Worth Association o Petroleum -Landmen

Golden Corral Restaurant

Circle of Champions Sponsor:Star-Telegram

Torchbearer Sponsors:

Atmos EnergyBell Helicopter

Durham School ServicesEssilor

Lockheed MartinMattel

Prime ControlsSouthwest Dairy Farmers

SyscoUniversity o Texas Arlington

2011 Summer Games Sponsors - You ROCK!Presenting Sponsors:

Co-Sponsors:

A Winning

WaveTwenty-one year-old

Josh Williams waves

to his adoring ans

beore his mini-jav

throw on Saturday.

He also competed

in 100m dash and

4x100m relay.

Williams joined

SOTX our yearsago and is a student

at DallasMolina

High School.

Photo

FinishA blazing summer

sun didnt stop

athletics (track and

eld) competitors

rom running a

heated race to the

nish on Saturday

aternoon. Loyal

ans on the track

were waitingor them at the

nish line with

handshakes, hugs

and high ves.

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Having A BallThe athletes werent the

only ones having a ball at the

tennis courts on Saturday;

Walmart employees were out

in ull orce and enjoying the

excitement o competition.

They could be ound on every

court bearing blue company

shirts and big smiles as they

cheered, chased balls, checked

court positions, and handed

out water to the athletes.

It gets you out o the

workplace and you get to be involved with something really

special,s aid Teddy Marty niuk, Market Manager or Walmart

Neighborhood Markets. Its the participants that make you

keep coming back; to see their competitive nature and spirit -

its really inspirational and our employees absolutely love it.

Throughout the weekend,

Walmart was represented by

more than 200 sta members

who volunteered at Athlete

Village, tennis and athletics.

In addition to the volunteer

hours they donated, they also

presented a check to SOTX

totaling $100,000 rom the

North Region.

Thank you, Walmart, or

serving up such incredible

support!

Summer Games Schedule

Sunday, May 29

8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. AthleticsUTA Maverick Stadium

8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Basketball

UTA - The MAC

PE Building

Shackelford Junior High School

Summer Games Senior is

Just Getting StartedSpecial Olympics Texas athletes vary in size, strength and

ability. They also greatly vary in age. Unli ke many seniors

who look orward to a little rest, relaxation and retirement as

they age, athletics (track and eld) athlete Loretta Daves said

thats not at all on her agenda.

At 74 years old, she is this years oldest Summer Games

competitor and has proven that some o us are lucky enough

to get better as we get older.

Daves is a member o the Duncanville Swingers and is

certainly making the most o it at Games. Over the weekend,

she participated in the sotball throw, 50m dash and 4x100m

relay.

Ask her what her avorite thing about competing is and shell

proudly tell you with a wide smile, running,o course!

Daves lives in Arlington and joined the dynamite Duncanville

Swingers six years ago.

Kick It Up A NotchMaking it to Summer Games is exciting, memor

a little stressul; at least it was or the Judson I.S

Rockets. The Central Texas area team planned

in Saturdays soccer events with eight athletes,

three men down just beore the competition b

It was a challenge,head soccer coach, Katie B

We have to have students play positions that t

played beore, and teach them how to play aga

new positions.

Luckily, the Thunder Rockets are ast learners!

was proud o the group or adjusting so quickly

unexpected loss o teammates. She said shed

team play so powerully, despite their loss.They played their hearts out,Benson exclaim

moving.

The Thunder Rockets also competed in athletic

and eld) events over the weekend. About 25

competed at the Games.

Lucky 7 for First-TimerIt may have been

Ronald Jesse

Jimenezs rst

time to compete

in gymnastics at

Summer Games,

but he proved he

has what it takes

to tumble with the

most experienced

athletes. The

energetic 13-year-

old started

competing in

gymnastics two

years ago in the Greater El Paso area, ater his parents saw

him doing cartwheels and decided it was time to test out

his skills in the sport. On Saturday, Jimenez showed he has

the technique and talent to shine; he won seven gold medals

in all or all-around, pommel horse, high bar, foor exercise,

vault, rings and parallel bars!

Happy Healthy AthletesKayla Pautzke o the Georgetown Eagles team had never

been through a Healthy Athletes* screening; now, she is

happy that she had both her ears and eyes screened on

Saturday. The 16-year-old had not had her eyes checked in

years, and ater going through the Opening Eyes screening,

it was conrmed that she needed her rst pair o glasses.

Ater high-ving her way through the rotating stationchecks, she picked out a pair o purple rames with the

help o mom and dad, Tiany and Stephen . Hooray! I am

so very happy that I am going to get glasses!exclaimed

Pautzke.

A junior a Georgetown High School, Kayla Pautzke got

involved with Special Olympics Texas our years ago. She

competes in athletics, bocce and bowling.

*On Friday and Saturday, 420 athletes had their eyes

checked as part of Opening Eyes and 376 athletes went

through the Healthy Hearing screening.