A first-day-of-issue ceremony for a stamp commemorating this summer’s Special Olympics World Games was held Saturday, part of the opening ceremony of the Special Olympics Orange County Regional Spring Games at Irvine High School’s football stadium.
The forever stamp features the 2015 Special Olympics World Games Los Angeles logo, showcasing the colors of the flags from participating nations.
“Special Olympics changed my life and the lives of many of my friends and their families,” said Tony Briones, the Special Olympics Southern California Orange County Athlete of the Year.
“It helps us to learn compassion and leadership skills while bringing fun, accomplishment and pride into our lives. The stamp makes us feel important.”
The 2015 Special Olympics World Games will be held in the Los Angeles area from July 25-Aug. 2. With approximately 7,000 athletes and 3,000 coaches representing 177 nations, it will be the year’s largest sports and humanitarian event and the biggest event in Los Angeles since the 1984 Olympic Games, according to organizers.
The 2015 Special Olympics World Games consists of 25 Olympic-style sports in venues throughout the Los Angeles region. Venues include USC, UCLA, Griffith Park, Long Beach, the Los Angeles Convention Center and LA Live.
The opening ceremony will be held July 25 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, with a crowd of 80,000 expected.
