Fund-raising for a special cause

“We raised $100,000,” cheered Peggy Goldwater Clay of Newport Beach.

It was the inaugural fund-raiser for Olympians on Parade, a recent

event for Special Olympics, Orange County.

“This was our first event, and we really went for the gold,”

Goldwater- Clay said. More than 400 guests converged on Joe’s Garage

& Automotive Museum in Tustin to honor an impressive contingent of

U.S. Olympians who had come to support their fellow athletes.

Football star Vince Ferragamo served as master of ceremonies,

greeting Rafer Johnson, Janet Evens, Susie Atwood, Paul Gonzales,

Jenny Johnson Jordan, Sammy Lee, Pat McCormick, John Naber, Peter

Vidmar and Louis Zamperini. All of the guest Olympians joined in a

“parade of champions” with Orange County Special Olympians, moving

through the crowd as the applause grew louder.

Founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the Special Olympics

has become an internationally recognized organization bringing sports

training and competition to mentally disabled children and adults.

The Orange County chair is Betty Belden-Palmer, an athlete and

former physical education teacher in the O.C. school system.

“I was so moved by the extraordinary courage and determination

exhibited by the Special Olympics athletes at the 2001 Winter Games

held in Anchorage, Alaska, that I became involved in this very

important program.” Belden-Palmer said. “I knew in that moment that I

wanted to do something to increase opportunities for the Special

Olympian athletes in Orange County.”

Pam Jones, regional director for Special Olympics of Southern

California joined forces with Newport-Mesa support coming from Zee

Allred, Sonya Bella, Julie David, Jennifer Grey, Doy and Dee Henley,

Susie and John Hurlbutt, Milt and Bonnie Irvine, Jan Landstrom, Bob

and Charlene Rauch, David Stein, and Bill and Jean Wenke.

More than 1,000 local volunteers support O.C. Special Olympics

each year, with more than 1,100 athletes, age 8 and older,

participating in the program free of charge. With more than 20

Olympic-type sporting competitions, Special Olympics is the largest

amateur sports organization in the world, representing more than 1

million athletes.

* THE CROWD runs Thursdays and Saturdays.