2015 Special Olympics Summer Games

Between 26 June and 28 June 2015, Tuolumne County Special Olympians will be participating in the 2015 Northern California Summer Games, which will be held at UC Davis this year.

More than 600 Special Olympians will descend on the UC Davis campus this year to compete in the 2015 Special Olympics Northern California Summer Games. Accompanying the athletes and cheering them on will be over 200 of their volunteer coaches. After weeks of training and participating at qualifying competitions, the athletes will compete in aquatics, bocce ball, tennis, and track and field.

The Summer Games are the culminating competition for the spring sports season, and is one of the largest Special Olympics sporting competitions in Northern California. The minimum age of the competitors is eight years of age and there is no age limit (cap). Athletes have varying ability levels and are put into divisions to compete against athletes of the same ability level. Over 1,200 volunteers will be on hand to fill a variety of volunteer positions over the course of the weekend.

On Saturday, 20 June 2015, members of the Sonora Police Department participated in the First Annual Special Olympics Torch Run held in downtown Sonora. An important part of the Summer Games is the running of the Special Olympics Torch, the “Flame of Hope” prior to the start of the Games. The Flame of Hope is relayed through Northern California escorted by various law enforcement personnel, ending at the UC Davis campus. Special thanks to CHP Officer Nick Norton of the Jamestown CHP Office for helping organize this year’s local event!

The staff of the Sonora Police Department would like to wish all our Tuolumne County participants the best in the upcoming Summer Games this weekend.