Other athlete activities include a Team USA Reception at the Supreme Court of the United States, a visit to Walter Reed Army Medical Center, a Gold Medalist Public Meet-and-Greet at BP, a Deloitte study break at Georgetown University, a visit to the Pentagon and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, and an “Olympic Build Day with Habitat for Humanity.” Through these activities and appearances, 2010 Olympians and Paralympians will celebrate Team USA’s achievements at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games while bringing the excitement of the Games to the nation’s capital.
President Obama, the First Lady and the White House Office on Olympic, Paralympic and Youth Sport will host Team USA at the White House on Wednesday, April 21. The President and First Lady will congratulate the athletes on their performances and thank them for representing the United States during the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games. They will also discuss the First Lady’s Let’s Move! campaign to solve the childhood obesity epidemic within a generation. U.S. Teams have visited the White House following an Olympic Games at the invitation of the President over the past 34 years. More details will be sent out shortly.
“President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama and the entire White House staff have shown tremendous support for the Olympic Movement and for Team USA, and we are looking forward to extending our appreciation and visiting with them at the White House later this month,” said USOC Chief Executive Officer Scott Blackmun. “Our athletes’ achievements in Vancouver were incredible both on and off the field of play, and we are thrilled to bring the excitement of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games to Washington, D.C. I’d like to offer a special thanks to our sponsors for their support in bringing this event to our nation’s capital.”
BP, the official energy sponsor of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams, will host a Team USA Reception at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 21, at the Supreme Court of the United States. Attendees will include Team USA athletes, congressional representatives and USOC sponsors. The event is invitation only.
“BP is proud to support the Olympic Movement as the official energy partner of Team USA,” BP America President and Chairman Lamar McKay said. “We applaud Team USA’s performance in Vancouver and look forward to supporting them in pursuit of their 2012 Olympic dreams in London.”
Throughout the visit, groups of athletes will disperse around Washington, D.C., to share the excitement and patriotism of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The 2010 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Team Trip to Washington, D,C., is supported by USOC partners BP, Deloitte, United Airlines, Hilton Worldwide, Coca-Cola and Anheuser-Busch.
Gold Medalist Public Meet-and-Greet at BP
BP will host a public meet-and-greet with Olympic athletes at the BP Station located at 823 Pennsylvania Avenue SE from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 20, to give fans an up-close-and-personal experience with two of Team USA’s medalists from the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Participants will have the opportunity to take photos with the athletes and get personalized autographs.
BP will spread the Olympic excitement to D.C. area commuters on April 19 from 6:30-9:30 a.m. with Proud Partner BP Street Teams offering free Metrorail passes at select Metrorail sites. The street teams will invite D.C. residents and Olympic fans to share in the Team USA celebration by signing commemorative congratulations banners, showing their support for the athletes during their visit. The banners will later be presented to the athletes at the Gold Medalist Public Meet-and-Greet and will be on display at BP stations around town.
Walter Reed Army Medical Center
“Warrior Champions” Screening presented by United Airlines
United Airlines will sponsor an abridged screening of the documentary “Warrior Champions” at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, April 20, at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) for patients, staff, guests, Olympians and Paralympians. Among the athletes in attendance will be two Walter Reed alumni – Melissa Stockwell (Paralympic swimming, 2008, athlete featured in film) and Heath Calhoun (Paralympic alpine skiing, Vancouver) – as well as veteran Chris Fogt . Following the 20 minute screening, there will be a panel discussion with filmmakers Brent and Craig Renaud, Stockwell, Calhoun and other athletes. “Warrior Champions” is an uplifting testament to the human spirit that tells the emotional and inspiring story of a group of wounded American soldiers as they realize the powerful role that sport can play in rehabilitation and quality of life. After the screening, the athletes will visit with injured service members and WRAMC patients. Also supporting the event at WRAMC are Deloitte and BP, which is providing more than $3,000 worth of BP gift cards for injured service members and their families.
Deloitte Study Break
USOC professional services sponsor Deloitte will host a study break for the students of Georgetown University on Tuesday, April 20, from 4-5 p.m. to take a breather from finals and hear stories of inspiration from some of America’s favorite Olympians and Paralympians. The event will feature bronze medalist Kelly Clark (snowboarding halfpipe), Olympic champion Shani Davis (speedskating), Olympic champion Apolo Ohno (short track speedskating), Paralympic champion Stephani Victor (alpine skiing) and Paralympic champion Andy Yohe (sled hockey).
Olympic Build Day at Habitat for Humanity
On Thursday, April 22, 11 U.S. Olympians will join forces with Habitat for Humanity to build a home for a family in need as part of the USOC’s Team for Tomorrow program. Ten members of the silver medal winning women’s hockey team will be joined by Team for Tomorrow Athlete Ambassadors Liz Stephen (cross country skiing) and Caitlin Cahow (hockey) in volunteering for the second “Olympic Build Day with Habitat for Humanity.” The athletes will join a group of volunteers working on six houses in a Habitat construction site located on Clay Street between 54th and 55th Streets.
Team for Tomorrow is an ongoing humanitarian relief effort of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams that consists of donations, volunteerism, disaster services, advocacy and other relief contributions. Team for Tomorrow is a vehicle through which U.S. athletes can offer their assistance and support to those around the world who are in need.
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The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the sole entity in the United States whose mission involves training, entering and underwriting the full expenses for the U.S. teams in the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games. In addition to being the steward of the U.S. Olympic Movement, the USOC is the moving force for support of sports in the United States that are on the program of the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games. Follow us on Twitter ( @USOlympic) or visit our website at www.teamusa.org.
