Michaela Watts Photo

NORWICH – Athletes of the Vipers Special Olympics team of Norwich donated $325.65 in efforts to help support Trooper Neil T. Case in his upcoming trip to Austria for the Law Enforcement Torch Run Final Leg. The Athletes of the Vipers Special Olympics team raised the donated money through raffles sales, bottles drives and other events to support our local law enforcement in the upcoming event.

Present with the trooper and the norwich team, Cassandra Rucker, director of development of Special Olympics New York gave further information about this years winters games. The Special Olympics World Winter Games, being held in Austria, will get underway and 16-athletes from Special Olympics New York will be there representing the USA. More than 3,000 athletes from 108 nations will travel to Graz, Schladming and Ramsau and compete across nine sports.

Special Olympics New York will be represented in three sports: Floor Hockey, Men’s Cross Country Skiing, Women’s Snowshoe. Over 15,000 people will participate in the Special Olympics World Winter Games in 2017. In addition to the 3,000 athletes expected from 108 countries, there will be 5,000 family members, 1,100 coaches, 1,000 media representatives, 3,000 volunteers and 1,200 honored guests expected.

"We are excited to bring the Special Olympics World Winter Games to Austria and are working closely with Special Olympics International to deliver an event that will not only open hearts and minds across Styria and Austria, but will leave an everlasting impact felt around the world, said Hermann Kröll, President of Special Olympics Austria and the 2017 games.

The Special Olympics World Winter Games is one of the biggest sporting events ever to take place in Austria.. “The beautiful country of Austria will host a World Winter Games that will showcase and celebrate the skills and gifts of over 3,000 athletes who have trained hard to represent their countries on an international stage,” said Mary Davis, Acting CEO, Special Olympics International. “We are excited to see Austria open hearts and minds, creating opportunities for inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities leading to equality, acceptance and change in society whilst, at the same time making an invaluable contribution to the quality of life of the athletes and their families, both in Austria and globally.”

The Games will officially begin with the Opening Ceremony kicking off in Schladming (World Cup Stadium Planai) on 18 March 2017. Prior to Opening Ceremony, on 2 March, the Special Olympics Flame of Hope for the Special Olympics World Winter Games Austria 2017 will be lit during a formal torch lighting ceremony in Athens and then travel to Austria. The Law Enforcement Torch Run will begin on 9th March in Bregenz (Vorarlberg), then the Flame of Hope will be carried throughout all nine Provinces in Austria.