Since 2016, Goodwill of OC’s partnership confirms longevity and expansion of the special games
FULLERTON, Calif. – May 3, 2018 – The 33rdannual Goodwill of Orange County Faley Special Games, Orange County’s largest non-competitive, inclusive sporting event for athletes with developmental and intellectual disabilities, returns to California State University, Fullerton on Friday, May 4. The games, hosted at Cal State Fullerton in memory of Kathleen E. & Jack Faley, bring together thousands of athletes, families and volunteers for a day of fun, friendship and sports.
From 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., the athletics field transforms into an outdoor sports emporium with games including football throw, basketball, soccer, bean bag toss, volleyball, Frisbee toss, whiffle ball and more. Participants and their families can also enjoy live music, balloon animals, interacting with police squad cars and fire trucks, and more.
The Goodwill of Orange County Faley Special Games uses the “buddy system” – special athletes of all ages are paired with volunteer “buddies” that stick together throughout the day’s outdoor activities. This year, we are excited to have more than 3,500 participants.
The 2018 Goodwill of Orange County Faley Special Games are made possible by Goodwill of Orange County, the entire CSUF campus community and CSUF president Framroze Virjee, the Faley family and longtime Chairpersons Wylie and Bette Aitken, and the ongoing support of the entire Aitken* Aitken* Cohn, A Law Firm, Special Games co-founder Lisa Whaley, Tom Dowd and Howard Guild and the team at Dowd and Guild, Inc., and many additional loyal supporters, friends and family members.
The Special Games began as a class project by three CSUF students Dan Faley, Lisa Whaley and Tom Bohen in 1986. The goal was to create a campus event for developmentally disabled and special-needs students from local schools to make new memories and create thousands of smiles. For more than 30 years, the Special Games have given participants, their families and volunteers an extraordinary and unforgettable experience. Throughout its history and always looking to the future, the Special Games will remain focused on fostering social development and activity for athletes with developmental disabilities.
The 2018 Goodwill of Orange County Faley Special Games hosted by CSUF on Friday, May 4 will be held on the athletics field north of Titan Gym at 800 N. State College Blvd.
To make a donation to help thousands of athletes with developmental disabilities, text “Give2-FaleyGames to 77948 or click here: http://bit.ly/FaleySpecialGames. Funds provide support for special-needs students from local Orange County schools.
About Goodwill of Orange County
Goodwill helps people who are facing barriers to find and keep jobs, which provides purpose, pride, and dignity. Founded on the belief that every person should have the opportunity to achieve the independence that work provides, Goodwill is most recognized for being the conduit where donated goods are sold in America’s favorite thrift stores to generate the revenue that provides the services to those who face employment challenges. Celebrating its 90th year in 2014, Goodwill of Orange County has supported hundreds of thousands of Orange County residents since its inception by creating and providing quality training and employment services to empower its program participants to be productive and independent. The nonprofit organization has dozens of programs that support this effort, including the Goodwill Rogers A. Severson Fitness & Technology Center, Orange County’s only facility specially designed for people suffering from chronic illnesses and physical disabilities; its global approach to serving veterans and their families, Goodwill of Orange County Tierney Center for Veteran Services, which helps former service members and their families find resources and services to meet and serve their unique needs, including housing, job placement, education, and wellness; and its Assistive Technology Exchange Center (ATEC), which provides access to more than 1,000 state-of-the-art technology devices for children and adults with disabilities. These are just a few of Goodwill of Orange County’s innovative programs that have served those facing barriers in Orange County for the past nine decades. In 2012, Goodwill was named one of Orange County’s Most Trusted Brands. To learn more about Goodwill of Orange County, visit ocgoodwill.org.
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Media Contact: Emma Engelage, (949) 200-6111, eengelage@cornerstonecomms.com
