Athletes from Chatham, Effingham, Liberty and Long counties will come together to compete in the 2007 Special Olympics Georgia Area 17 Summer Games on Wednesday at Savannah Country Day School (SCDS) and Bacon Park Golf Complex. Opening ceremonies will be at 10:30 a.m. at SCDS.

This year for the first time, the opening ceremonies will include a Color Guard presentation by Special Olympic athletes from the Windsor Forest High School ROTC program.

The athletes will compete in track and field, tennis skills and soccer skills at SCDS, and golf skills at Bacon Park Golf Complex. More than 800 athletes, volunteers, coaches and family members are expected to take part in this exciting day of competition.

Special Olympics Georgia provides year round training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for all children and adults with mental retardation, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in the sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.

For more information, or to volunteer to serve your local area Special Olympics program, please contact Scott Blanford at (912) 713-5533 or scott.blanford@specialolympicsga.org.