Southern California Communities Welcome 7,000 Special Olympics Athletes
STUDIO CITY (CBSLA.com) — Many of the 100 Southern California communities hosting Special Olympic athletes from around the globe held welcoming events Wednesday night for their welcomed guests.
Inglewood, Fountain Valley and Studio City were just a handful of communities around the Southland that were welcoming the 7,000 athletes into the evening hours.
"We help them get acclimated before they go on to the competition," Studio City Chamber of Commerce's Esther Walker said.
Studio City hosted delegates from Cuba and the Czech Republic, and was among the host areas to hold fundraising for housing, transportation, meals and events.
"It's very important for us to feel good," Czech coach Degmar Dedkova said. "For my athletes it's very important."
For the athletes from Cuba, it was the first time they had ever traveled outside their home country.
"Everything is pretty here," Cuban athlete Alonzo Rodriguez-Diaz said. "People have made us feel welcome."
Roughly 30,000 volunteers are on hand to make sure the athletes and coaches feel welcome, and enjoy their stay.
"I believe that when you bring sports together, you bring people together," volunteer Rita Ford said.
