Special Olympics Looks to AT&T Celebrity Winterfest, Upcoming Polar Plunge to Raise Much Needed Funds

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--For the 13^th consecutive year, Hollywood celebrities, business leaders and Special Olympics athletes will meet and compete at Lake Tahoe’s Heavenly Ski Resort during this year’s AT&T Celebrity Winterfest to raise critical funds for Special Olympics in a day of alpine racing March 7.

“At AT&T, we invest in America. It’s not just about building communications networks, it’s investing in people and helping improve lives”

In past years, proceeds from the high profile, action-packed weekend have supported Special Olympics Winter Games, a three-day snow sports competition typically held the following week. This year, a shortfall in expected donations prompted Special Olympics Northern California & Nevada to cancel its winter sports program. Organization officials hope the AT&T Celebrity Winterfest, in addition to its Polar Plunge at Lake Tahoe March 21, will help to provide enough revenue to ensure that 16,000 athletes can continue to receive free training and competition throughout the year for its remaining sports programs.

“At AT&T, we invest in America. It’s not just about building communications networks, it’s investing in people and helping improve lives,” said Terry Stenzel, Vice President and General Manager of AT&T’s Wireless Operations for Northern California and Reno. “Anyone who has ever been to a Special Olympics event has experienced the importance of this program and seen the friendly competitive spirit and the personal joy of the athletes. It’s an honor to again be the title sponsor of AT&T Celebrity Winterfest, and to be part of the Special Olympics tradition in Northern California and Nevada.”

“We are thankful for AT&T’s support these many years, as well as those who have signed up corporate ski teams and provided resources for Special Olympics,” said Rick Collett, President and CEO of Special Olympics Northern California & Nevada. “We rely almost exclusively on individual and corporate donations to provide training and competition opportunities to our many athletes. Times are tough right now, so it is gratifying to see companies and individuals who understand the value of what we do and continue to give.”

While the AT&T Celebrity Winterfest is a corporate fundraising event, the Lake Tahoe community is encouraged to participate and support the local Polar Plunge at Zephyr Cove on Saturday, March 21 to raise money for Special Olympics.

Those skiing at Heavenly during the AT&T Celebrity Winterfest are welcome to stop by and watch the competition beginning at 10 a.m., Saturday. It will feature 14 corporate teams paired with a Special Olympics athlete and a celebrity skier. Results from the day will be announced at an awards dinner with categories that include Best-Dressed Team, Fastest Skier, Best Spill, and the top three winning teams.

All proceeds from the weekend benefit Special Olympics Northern California and Nevada.

Participating celebrities include: Kevin Sorbo (Hercules: Legendary Journeys and Tales of an Ancient Empire); Tim Abell (Buttermilk Sky, Soldier of God); Mike Buie (Mystery Alaska); Scott Michael Campbell (Brokeback Mountain); Josh Gomez (Chuck); Juliette Goodrich (anchor, CBS 5); Scott Grimes (ER); Sam Jaeger (Eli Stone); Andy Lauer (Jane Doe); Zachary Levi (Chuck); Thyme Lewis (Days of Our Lives); Joel David Moore (Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story); Julian Morris (Donkey Punch); Justin Melvey (General Hospital); Ryan Merriman (Comanche Moon); Rick Ravanello (Trial by Fire; Fatal Kiss) ); John Sasaki (reporter, KTVU 2); Nicole Sullivan (Rita Rocks, 17 Again, Kim Possible); and Jud Tyler (Charlie Wilson’s War).

The 2009 AT&T Celebrity Winterfest includes participants from co-sponsors Harvey’s Lake Tahoe, Heavenly and MedeFinance to event sponsors Samsung, Continental Airlines, Pacific Color Graphics, Ogden-Costa Creative Design, Hertz and Ericsson. Media sponsors include KPIX-CBS Channel 5, Contra Costa Times, and Energy 92.7 FM.

THE POLAR PLUNGE EVENT

Special Olympics Northern California & Nevada will host the “Freezin’ for a Reason” 2009 Polar Plunge™ at noon March 21 at Zephyr Cove at South Lake Tahoe. The event also will include entertainment, a costume contest, awards and prizes. Registration begins at 10 a.m., followed by a parade of costumes at noon. The event concludes at 1 p.m. with a post-plunge party on the MS Dixie. To learn more, visit www.sonc.org/polarplunge or call [phone] ext 232.

About Special Olympics Northern California & Nevada

Special Olympics Northern California & Nevada is a free year-round sports training and competition program for children and adults with developmental disabilities. More than 16,000 athletes compete in 178 competitions throughout the region in 15 sports. This requires the extraordinary support and time of 12,700 volunteers and more than 4,600 volunteer coaches. Programs are free to all eligible athletes. Financial support comes almost exclusively from individuals, organizations, corporations, and foundations.

For more information on Special Olympics Northern California, visit www.SONC.org.