AmpliVox Sound Systems has made a major sponsorship donation of portable sound equipment to each of the eighteen Areas of Special Olympics Illinois and supporting three Special Olympics Chapter events taking place throughout 2014.
AmpliVox is supplying Half-Mile Hailer sound systems valued at $35,000 MSRP to the eighteen Area Offices of Special Olympics Illinois, for use in crowd management, awards ceremonies, and communication during a variety of events including the annual Windy City Rubber Ducky Derby, Law Enforcement Torch Run Plane Pull, and Summer Games.
Special Olympics is a global organization that unleashes the human spirit through the transformative power and joy of sport, every day around the world.
Through programming in sports, health, education and community building, Special Olympics endeavors to improve the lives of people with intellectual disabilities. The Illinois branch of Special Olympics provides opportunities for more than 21,000 athletes, 40,000 volunteers, and thousands more people statewide.
Don & Nancy c.1968
Special Olympics has been close to the heart of AmpliVox CEO Don Roth for decades. In fact, he and his wife Nancy were present at the first International Games of Special Olympics, which took place at Chicago’s Soldier Field in July 1968.
Originally envisioned as a one-time event, over 1000 athletes from all over the US and Canada competed.
“It is a thrill to see how far Special Olympics has come in the decades since those first games at Soldier Field,” reflects Roth. “This organization has inspired hope and provided encouragement for young people around the world, and made all of us appreciate the strength and determination of individuals with disabilities.
AmpliVox is very proud to support Special Olympics Illinois in all their endeavors, and we look forward to seeing our sound systems in use at their upcoming events.”
photo: eunicekennedyshriver.org
Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founder and honorary chairperson of Special Olympics,looks over Soldier Field on July 20, 1968 as the debut Special Olympics Games get underway
AmpliVox’s donated equipment will be put into service in Special Olympics fundraisers that engage the wider community, including the Windy City Rubber Ducky Derby on August 7.
Throughout the spring and summer, volunteers staff “Adopt-a-Duck” booths around Chicago, culminating in a race with around 50,000 entries on the Chicago River.
Additionally, the AmpliVox hailers will be used at the Sixth Annual Torch Run Plane Pull on September 27, an “Ultimate Tug-o-War” competition where teams from law enforcement groups and other organizations race to drag a UPS jet weighing almost 100 tons.
The AmpliVox sound systems will also take center stage at the Annual Summer Games on June 12-14, where over 4,000 athletes with special needs will participate in aquatics, track and field, gymnastics, soccer, and other competitions.
To learn more about Special Olympics of Illinois, visit http://www.soill.org. To learn more about AmpliVox products and community cause marketing initiatives, visit http://www.ampli.com.
