- For the Second Year, The Orchard Will Kick Off the Special Olympics Utah Summer Games with a Block Party
- Festivities Will Be Held on Friday, June 8 from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. and Include the Arrival of the Flame of Hope, the Lighting of the Cauldron, Award Presentations, Games, Music and More
OREM, Utah (June 5, 2018) – University Place, a 112-acre mixed-use development project
formerly known as University Mall, today announced that following the success of last year’s event, it will once again host the official community block party kicking off Special Olympics Utah’s 2018 Summer Games. The event will be held at The Orchard, University Place’s large outdoor and versatile gathering space, on Friday, June 8 from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m.
At 4:00 p.m. the party will begin, and at 6:20 p.m. the Flame of Hope will arrive, which will be carried by the athletes, as well as Orem city officials and representatives from local law enforcement agencies. A brief opening ceremony will follow, including the lighting of the cauldron, the Knights of Columbus Color Guard, and an awards presentation honoring excellence across several different areas. Both prior to and after the opening ceremony there will be games, music and the “Victory Dance.” The block party is a free event, and the public is invited to come share the joy and be a part of the celebration.
Special Olympics Utah uses the power of sports to help individuals with intellectual disabilities focus on what they “can do,” and in doing so be active and engaged in their communities. This year’s Summer Games will be held in three venues in Orem from June 8-9, with nearly 1,300 athletes and Unified Sports partners expected to compete.
“One of the cornerstones of Special Olympics Utah is creating inclusive communities, and University Place is the perfect location to do that,” said Wendy Kelly, director of community outreach and partnerships for Special Olympics Utah. “As we learned last year, The Orchard is a beautiful venue, and we’re really excited to be returning to it to kick off our 2018 Summers Games.”
“When we first conceived of The Orchard, we hoped to create a space where the community could come together and make lasting memories—which is exactly what this block party is all about,” said Randy Woodbury, president of Woodbury Corporation. “Last year’s event was an incredible experience, and I hope we have an even bigger turnout this year to celebrate the achievements of these wonderful athletes.”
To see a full list of Special Olympics Utah’s Summer Games events, visit www.sout.org.
To learn about the other community events taking place at The Orchard this summer, visit https://live-university-place-production.pantheonsite.io/events/.
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About University Place
Opening in the early 1970s in Orem, Utah, University Place (formerly University Mall) is a 120-acre development that initially only included retail-uses. Now, having completed the initial phases of a $500 million revitalization project, University Place is home to upscale residential, Class-A office and high-quality green space. University Place was first developed and is still owned and operated by Woodbury Corporation, a 4th generation family-run business, and one of the oldest and most respected full-service real estate development and management companies in the Intermountain West. For more information about University Place and updates on the project, visit https://live-university-place-production.pantheonsite.io/. For more information about Woodbury Corporation, visit http://www.woodburycorp.com/.
Press Contact
Amanda Butterfield
Woodbury Corporation PR
A_butterfield@woodburycorp.com
801-440-9837