Special Olympics Comes to South Bay

After being overseas for the last 16 years, the Special Olympics 2015 World Summer Games will be coming to Los Angeles this summer and three Southbay cities will be playing a crucial part in the upcoming historic event.

Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach have signed on as “Host Towns” to welcome the special athletes from seven different countries during a three day acclimation period that will lead up to the July 25th opening ceremonies.

The athletes will get some time to recover from jet lag and adjust to American culture.
The three   beach cities will join 82 other Southern California communities ranging from San Diego to San Luis Obispo in playing host to the athletes July 21-24. Each city is assigned special athletes from various countries. Manhattan Beach will host coaches and athletes from Hungary and Nepal.

Hermosa Beach will host Belgium and Belize, and Redondo Beach will host delegations from Benin, Haiti and Suriname.

The delegates from Hungary and Nepal will be staying at the Manhattan Beach Marriot Hotel. They will participate in a downtown shopping excursion, have a beach picnic and enjoying a spaghetti dinner sponsored by the Manhattan Beach Fire Dept. They will also participate in a torch relay race and attend a community dinner.

The delegates from Belgium and Belize will enjoy a planned dinner, a group bicycle riding adventure, several games of beach volleyball, a day at the beach and do some shopping in downtown Hermosa Beach.

In Redondo Beach, the Benin, Haiti and Suriname delegates will stay at the Palos Verdes Inn, have lunch and do some shopping at the Galleria Mall. They will have a beach day of fishing, experience some whale watching, bicycle riding and sand castle building, a parade on the pier, a party at Sea Side Lagoon and a send off pep rally featuring mayors and dignitaries from all three beach cities on the morning of July 24th.