The city of Santa Maria will welcome athletes participating in the 2015 Special Olympics World Games as a host town before the games begin in Los Angeles.
From July 21 through 24, 2015, a contingent of the 7,000 athletes from 177 countries competing in the games will be introduced to the Central Coast community.
Santa Maria was one of 100 Southern California towns chosen to be host towns. Communities are evaluated based on the availability of lodging, sports practice facilities, and recreation/entertainment opportunities. Host towns are responsible for planning activities for the athletes and spreading the word about the games. The games begin on July 25, 2015.
This article appears in Aug 7-14, 2014.
