WHAT: More than 1,800 Special Olympics NC athletes of all ages and abilities are in Raleigh and Cary June 3-5 with their coaches and family members to compete in the 2016 Special Olympics North Carolina Summer Games. Competition will be held in aquatics, athletics, bowling, cheerleading, cycling, gymnastics, powerlifting, softball, and volleyball. Bowling, cheerleading and cycling are all new to Special Olympics NC Summer Games competition in 2016.

Athletes competing in the 2016 SONC Summer Games represent the following counties/agencies: Alamance, Anson, Avery, Beaufort/Hyde, Bertie, Brunswick, Buncombe, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Carteret, Caswell Center, Catawba, Cherokee, Cleveland, Craven, Cumberland, Currituck, Dare, Davidson, Davie, Durham, Forsyth, Franklin, Gaston, Gates, Graham, Greene, Guilford/Greensboro, Guilford/High Point, Halifax, Harnett, Henderson, Hoke, Iredell, J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center, Jackson, Johnston, Jones, Lake Norman, Lincoln, Madison, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Moore, Murdoch Center, Nash, New Hanover, Onslow, Orange, Pasquotank/Camden, Person, Pitt, Richmond, Robeson, Rockingham, Sampson, Stanly, Surry, Transylvania, Union, Vance, Wake, Watauga, Wayne, Wilkes and Wilson.

WHEN: Competition Schedule:

Friday, June 3:

1:00 - 4:00 p.m. Cycling Divisioning - N.C. Highway Patrol Training Academy

Softball Team Divisioning - Buffaloe Road Park

Volleyball Team Divisioning - N.C. State Carmichael Gym

2:00 - 6:00 p.m. Powerlifting Weigh-Ins N.C. State - Witherspoon Theatre

7:30 - 8:45 p.m. Opening Ceremonies - Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek

Saturday, June 4:

8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Volleyball Team Competition - N.C. State Carmichael Gym

8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Softball Team Competition - Buffaloe Road Park

9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Athletics Competition & Awards - Saint Augustine's University

Cycling Competition & Awards N.C.Highway Patrol Training Academy

9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Powerlifting Competition & Awards - N.C. State Witherspoon Theatre

9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Aquatics Competition & Awards - Triangle Aquatic Center

9:30 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. Gymnastics Competition & Awards - eNeRGy Kidz

9:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Softball Skills Divisioning - Lions Park

9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Cheerleading Competition & Awards - St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church & School

9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Bowling Competition Buffaloe Lanes, Cary

10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Volleyball Skills Divisioning - N.C. State Univeristy -Carmichael Gym

1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Volleyball Skills Competition & Awards - N.C. State University -Carmichael Gym

Sunday, June 5:

8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Softball Team Competition & Awards - Buffaloe Road Park

Volleyball Team Competition & Awards - N.C. State Carmichael Gym

8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Cycling Competition & Awards - N.C. Highway Patrol Training Academy

8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Bowling Competition & Awards - Buffaloe Lanes Cary

9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Athletics Competition & Awards - Saint Augustine's University

9:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Aquatics Competition & Awards - Triangle Aquatic Center

Powerlifting Competition & Awards - N.C. State Witherspoon Theatre

9:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Softball Skills Competition & Awards - Lions Park

WHERE:

Opening Ceremonies........................Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek, Raleigh

Aquatics..........................................................................................Triangle Aquatic Center, Cary

Athletics.....................George Williams Athletic Complex, Saint Augustine's University, Raleigh

Bowling ........................................................................................................... Buffaloe Lanes, Cary

Cheerleading ........................................St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church & School, Cary

Cycling ........................380 East Tryon Rd., NC State Highway Patrol Training Academy, Raleigh

Gymnastics......................................................................................................eNeRGy Kidz, Raleigh

Powerlifting.........................................Witherspoon Student Center, NC State University, Raleigh

Softball Team...........................................................................................Buffaloe Road Park, Raleigh

Softball Skills........................................................................................................Lions Park, Raleigh

Volleyball Team ...........................................Carmichael Gymnasium, NC State University, Raleigh

Volleyball Skills.............................................Carmichael Gymnasium, NC State University, Raleigh

Admission to all Summer Games competition events is free and open to the public.
For more information about Summer Games, visit www.specialolympicsnc.com or call 1-800-843-6276. Feature story ideas available, contact Megan O'Donnell for more information.

Event sponsors for 2016 SONC Summer Games include: Sheetz, Civitan, Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated, Zaxby's, Xerox, Southland Dairy Farmers, NC National Guard, Saint Augustine's University, Enterprise, Blaze Pizza and Raleigh Parks & Recreation.

SONC statewide partners are: North Carolina Law Enforcement Torch Run® for Special Olympics (Supreme); Sheetz, Knights of Columbus, Ideas That Work, Cardinal Innovations Healthcare Solutions, (Championship); Duke Fuqua School of Business, Civitan, Credit Suisse, (Gold); Dream Ride, Publix, Cafe Carolina & Bakery, North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation, A Small Miracle, Inc. Mutual of America, Wells Fargo Advisors (Silver); TD Bank, Troutman Sanders, ESPN, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of NC, AAA Carolinas, State Employees Combined Campaign, Toy R Us, Wells Fargo, Finish Line (Bronze); Duke Energy, , Henry Wurst Inc., Ellis & Winters LLP (Honorary Delegation).

About Special Olympics North Carolina
Special Olympics North Carolina offers year-round sports training and competition for nearly 40,000 children and adults with intellectual disabilities. These athletes inspire greatness through their success and provide motivation to the thousands of coaches, sports officials, local program committee members and event organizers involved in Special Olympics statewide. SONC offers Olympic-type competition in 19 sports on local and state levels. Visit Special Olympics North Carolina at www.specialolympicsnc.com. Engage with us on http://twitter.com/sonc_beafan; http://www.facebook.com/SpecialOlympicsNC and http://www.youtube.com/BeAFanSONC.