is the Event Chairman for this event
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From:Earl Reid
Fri, Aug 9 at 7:15 PM
This email is being sent to all Grand Knights, District Deputies and
District Wardens in districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 30 and 35, Special Olympics
Event Coordinators from last year, Southside Navigators and Color Corp
Commanders, and for situational awareness to all State Officers, Executive
Secretary, Director of Operations, District Master, District Marshal,
Regional District Advisor Tidewater, Regional Marshal Tidewater North and
South, Virginia State Council Special Olympics Coordinator and Special
Olympics Virginia (SOVA) personnel.
Worthy Grand Knights, Faithful Navigators and Event Coordinators,
The Special Olympics Fall Championship will take place in Virginia Beach on
2 and 3 November 2024.
Co-Regional Coordinator PGK Frank Green and I recently had an opportunity to
discuss this year's Special Olympics Fall Championship with SOVA
representatives. The below information is a recap of that conversation.
There are some changes for the Opening Ceremony & Saturday night activities
this year due to renovations scheduled on the track side of the Virginia
Beach Sports Center.
Opening Ceremony
* For this year, there will be no formal Opening Ceremony Saturday
night. Instead, we will be having an Opening Night Saturday November 2nd at
the Virginia Aquarium in VB located at 717 General Booth Blvd Virginia
Beach, VA 23451.
* We will have the entire north building to ourselves
* Bingo will take place as planned! The Aquarium's Giant Screen
Theater room has a stage and seating for 250. SOVA is working to connect
with a local bingo hall to have some nicer supplies donated (cards, balls,
cage, etc) to go along with our sound system & provided prizes for the
council to use.
* There will be a room for a DJ & dance to take place.
* We expect the Opening Night to have the same timeframe as the past
(sometime between 6:30-9:30pm).
* Earlier in the day, at each venue, before competition officially
kicks off, a shorter (10-15 minutes) ceremony (National Anthem, athlete
oath, torch, etc.) will take place, allowing each council to be involved in
a ceremony
Event Opening Ceremonies
* Welcome, Athlete oath, National Anthem, Honor Guard, torch/LETR -
will all still take place in a brief ceremony at each individual sports
venue before competition begins.
* SOVA will provide each venue with a short script/run of show, and
SOVA staff will be onsite to assist with the ceremony. We are also more than
happy to meet with any council/sport coordinators that have questions.
* Each event might have a slightly different timeframe and they won't
all begin at the same time across the board. All details will come as we
get closer to the Special Olympics start.
* For opening night, it would be good to have maybe 10-15 Knights at
the Aquarium as a welcome group to greet the athletes. Attire would be
council or assembly shirts.
* The State Deputy can speak at any one of the ceremonies Saturday,
however the Virginia Sports Center (Bocce, Volley Ball and Pickel Ball) or
Hamptons Roads Soccer Complex (Soccer) might be best.
Hotels
* We will help serve meals to the athletes and their families at the
below listed hotels. There are updated numbers for council volunteers:
* Double Tree (1900 Pavilion Dr) - 8 people
* Holiday Inn North Beach (3900 Atlantic Ave) - 8 people
* Courtyard North (3737 Atlantic Ave) - 4 people
* Courtyard South (2501 Atlantic Ave) - 4 people
* The original ask was 10, so if you get more that is fine and it will
still work
Volunteers
* SOVA is working on links for volunteers to sign up for event and
hotel meal support. We will pass those along when we receive them.
Event Guide
* An event guide is in development and will be provided once
completed.
Faithful Navigators and Color Corp Commanders,
The athletic events are planned to start about 1pm on Saturday afternoon.
As indicated above, each event will have its own mini-Opening Ceremony. We
are still working out the details of what is really needed, with regard to
Sir Knights in ORD. We also need to determine flag requirements, as some
venues have flags, and some do not.
I would think the Volley Ball, Bocce and Pickle Ball will have a combined
mini-Opening Ceremony, however, a more detailed time for each ceremony is
still to come. Sports will start around 1pm Saturday.
For opening night, it would be good to have at least 8-10 Sir Knights at the
Aquarium as a welcome group. Attire would be assembly shirts.
I would expect we will need at least 4 Sir Knights at each venue to present
the colors to greet the athletes. More to follow on requirements.
Please coordinate with Regional Marshall Ed Nettleton
and let him know how many Sir Knights from your
assembly can participate.
Have Faith and Fear Not - Everything we do, we do for the athletes.
Best regards,
Earl Reid Frank Green
FDD/PGK/PFN PGK/PFN
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