President Biden to host dinner for Special Olympics athletes, supporters

President Joe Biden will host a dinner Tuesday evening for Special Olympics and supporters of the organization titled, “A Christmas for All: Celebration of Unity, America and Special Olympics.”

The event will recognize the work that Special Olympics, with the support of the Biden administration and members of Congress, has been doing to engage U.S. government officials, educators, health professionals, parents, coaches, youth and communities everywhere not only to fight intolerance, but inspire us all to be more inclusive. Athletes attending the event represent Washington D.C., Virginia, Maryland, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northern California, Southern California, Texas, Tennessee, Wyoming, Brazil and Great Britain.

The event will celebrate founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s vision and the extraordinary achievements of Special Olympics athletes and give thanks to the more than 50 years of support Biden has given to the Special Olympics movement in paying tribute to the gifts of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and awakening the nation to the urgency of protecting their rights and their ability to contribute to creating a more inclusive world for all.

“President Biden will make the White House the center of our great movement of hope, toasting the Special Olympics athletes who lead the inclusion revolution and challenging American citizens and people of goodwill everywhere to take up the mantle of creating a more inclusive future for all,” Special Olympics Chairman Timothy Shriver said. “The President has been a longstanding supporter of Special Olympics, beginning in 1971, with then Council Member Biden attending the very first Special Olympics Delaware Games and cheering on nearly 100 athletes. From then on, he has headlined many local Special Olympics Games, led a delegation to World Games in Boise, Idaho, sent a delegation to our most recent World Games in Berlin, and championed the cause in the halls of Congress. His leadership has inspired governments around the world to join in protecting civil rights, advancing inclusive education, improving inclusive healthcare, and building community living, housing, and employment opportunities for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.”

Special Olympics USA, a 160-member delegation, will participate in the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin, Italy from March 8 to 15, 2025. The delegation includes athletes, Unified partners (participants without disabilities that compete on the same team) and coaches from various Special Olympics Programs around the country. Claire Potter and Ralph Gemmill, Jr. will compete in Alpine Skiing and Elaina Camacho will compete in Snowshoeing.