Special Olympics Lynchburg: Liberty Supports Lynchburg Special Olympics through "Spread the Word to End the Word"

This fall, Liberty Athletics will become the first collegiate program in the nation to officially endorse the international "Spread the Word to End the Word Campaign," which asks people to eliminate the demeaning use of the word "retard." Liberty kicked off the promotion Aug. 25 at its annual Student-Athlete Barbeque, when football players Matt Camire, who first approached the athletics department about the idea, and quarterback Mike Brown, challenged their fellow student athletes to "lead by example" and sign the R-Word pledge. To date, more than 270 Liberty student-athletes have signed the pledge, and more are joining the campaign each day.

This Saturday, Liberty will take its support to new heights when it welcomes Special Olympics athletes from around the Piedmont Region for the first "Day with the Flames." Athletes will spend time at a women's volleyball game, a volleyball clinic and their very own tailgate, compliments of Liberty Catering, before ending the day with a Flames football game at the grand re-opening of Williams Stadium.

Liberty student-athletes also plan to hand out R-Word pledge cards to the weekend's visitors and spectators. They won't stop "spreading the word" after this weekend, though. In addition to handing out pledge cards throughout the year, they plan to recognize Special Olympics at an upcoming basketball game, and once again host the Liberty Polar Plunge Festival in February. At this year's plunge, "Spread the Word to End the Word" and "Respect" will be two of the event themes.

"Liberty University and its Athletics Department have taken an active role in supporting our Special Olympics athletes here in Lynchburg," said Special Olympics Virginia Piedmont Region Director Josh Walker. "It is a testament to their student-athletes and their leadership that they are embracing ‘Spread the Word to End the Word,' and it is only fitting that they are serving as examples to the rest of NCAA. We cannot thank them enough for their support."

For more information about Liberty's "Spread the Word" support, please contact Josh Walker at jwalker@specialolympicsva.org or 434-582-4712. To take the Special Olympics Virginia "R" word pledge, visit www.specialolympicsva.org/rword.