BySenators Kauffman, Randall, Liias, Keiser, Rolfes, C. Wilson, Nobles, Trudeau, Hunt, Dhingra, Shewmake, Torres, Boehnke, Nguyen, Stanford, Valdez, Van De Wege, Lovick, Salomon, Braun, Billig, Cleveland, Conway, Hasegawa, Holy, Kuderer, Lovelett, Padden, Pedersen, Rivers, Saldaña, Short, Wagoner, Warnick, Wellman, and L. Wilson

WHEREAS, The Special Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual and physical disabilities, providing year-round training and activities to more than 3.7 million participants and Unified Sports partners in the United States and 200 other countries and jurisdictions; and

WHEREAS, The Special Olympics is a global movement of people creating a new world of inclusion and community, where every single person is accepted and welcomed, regardless of ability or disability; and

WHEREAS, Ninety-eight Washingtonians participated and competed in the 2022 Special Olympics in Orlando, Florida, as either an Athlete, Unified Partner, Coach, or Staff; and

WHEREAS, Among the 98 participating Washingtonians, 65 Athletes, Unified Partners, and Coaches received gold, silver, and bronze medals in their respective competitions; and

WHEREAS, The following teams won medals in their respective competitions, including Competitive Cheer, Bronze Medal; Flag Football, Silver Medal; and Volleyball, Gold Medal; and

WHEREAS, The Bronze medal-winning Competitive Cheer's Athletes, Coaches, and Unified Partners are Athletes TyAnna Brandtly, Samantha Elliott, Anna Stults, Courtney Thom, and MacKenzie Wilkes; Unified Partners Brittany Chiasson, Christina Evenhuis, Naya Hart, Kialie Pogoncheff, and Emily Wright; and Coaches Karen Elliott and Genia Stewart; and

WHEREAS, The Silver medal-winning Soccer team's Athletes and Coaches are Athletes Joel Adams, Gina Boyle, Jimmie Hutchins, Jocelyn Iwaniec, Seth Landers-Printy, Christopher Lyman, Domanic Morrow, Eamonn Rosenberg, Justin Villareal, and Todd Weathers; and Coaches Caitlin Walker-Collins, and Gregory Weathers; and

WHEREAS, The Silver medal-winning Flag Football's Athletes, Unified Partners, and Coaches are Athletes Turrean Hatzenbeler, Brayden Kelly, Benjamin Kennish, Austin Landon, and Ronnie Papka; Unified Partners Jagateshwar Bains, Jasmair Bains, Nolan Springer, William Suastegui-Perez, and Jordan Tveter; and Coaches Nick Asby, Gregory Kelly, and Donna Lindsay; and

WHEREAS, The Gold medal-winning Volleyball team's Athletes and Coaches are Athletes Grant Brickbealer, Daniel Brito, Stacey Conser, Kevin Geoghegan, Nicholas Hollands, Marcus Moore, Skyler Poor, Nicholas Rothbauer, Larry Simpson, and Gable Wilkins; and Coaches Lucy Capron, Kenneth Randy Geoghegan, and Alysanne Stack; and

WHEREAS, The individual medal-winning athletes are Benjamin Gregory, Gold medal, Athletics; Danielle Haag and Craig Lockard, Bronze medals, Athletics; Crystal Womack, Gold and Silver medals, Bocce; Jacqueline Diaz, two Silver medals, Bocce; Ian Dews, Bronze medal, Bocce; Grace Van Well, Gold medal, Swimming; Jake Moselle, Silver medal, Swimming; Truman Hobbs and Melissa Sprague, Bronze medals, Swimming; Alice Ness, Silver medal, Bowling; Elizabeth Bedell, Silver medal, Bowling; Peter Condon, Bronze medal, Golf; and Doug McPherson, four Bronze medals, Powerlifting;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate honor these extraordinary and courageous Athletes and their dedicated Coaches and Unified Partners for participating in the 2022 Special Olympics and winning medals in their respective competitions and events; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Coaches, Unified Partners, Athletes' families, and the Special Olympics Washington Board of Directors and staff be applauded for their time, dedication, and expertise in preparing these athletes for their successes both on and off the field and empowering them to pursue their dreams, as well as the countless fans across Washington who cheered on the delegation for their support; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to Special Olympics Washington.