PLANO, Texas, June 26, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- En route to
the Special Olympics World Games Los Angeles 2015, Toyota
celebrates the Flame of Hope arriving at the temporary Toyota
headquarters (TCAL) Friday afternoon as part of the Unified Relay
Across America. Toyota's Steve
Curtis, vice president of corporate communications; and
Terri Von Lehmden, national manager,
PMO & talent acquisition, made the half-mile torch run down
Legacy Drive in Plano, Texas. As
Curtis and Von Lehmden arrived at
headquarters, they were greeted by local Special Olympics athletes
and their families, Jim Lentz,
Toyota Motor North America chief executive officer, and one-hundred
of the first Toyota employees who have moved to Texas.
As the Flame of Hope was carried onto Toyota soil, Lentz
addressed the crowd in attendance reiterating Toyota's commitment
to Special Olympics USA, what it
means for Toyota to be a part of the World Games Los Angeles 2015,
as well as the Unified Relay Across America.
"Today is a truly gratifying and humbling experience for
Toyota," said Jim Lentz, Toyota
Motor North America, chief executive officer. "Toyota is proud to
play a supporting role in the World Games and Special Olympics
USA. Toyota will continue to
celebrate and support the abilities of Special Olympics athletes
and the overall mission of this great organization."
Curtis and Von Lehmden concluded
Friday's festivities as they departed TCAL with another half-mile
run down the route and handed the torch off to a waiting Toyota
vehicle, which will help deliver the torch to the next stop in
Arlington.
Friday's ceremony is part of an ongoing celebration from Toyota
as the Official Automotive Sponsor of the 2015 Special Olympics
World Games, taking place in Los
Angeles from July 25 to August
2. With more than 7,000 athletes, 177 represented countries
and 30,000 volunteers, the 2015 Special Olympics World Games will
be the largest sports and humanitarian event this year. Toyota is
raising awareness and support around the Special Olympics World
Games, and joining in its mission of acceptance, inclusion and
embracing diversity.
"Toyota has been a tremendous partner of the Special Olympics
World Games Los Angeles 2015 and throughout many segments of the
Unified Relay Across America, said Chris
Hahn, Head of Delegation for Special Olympics USA, adding, "We are particularly thankful for
their support of Special Olympics USA."
The Special Olympics event is just one example of how Toyota is
engaged philanthropically in the state of Texas. Toyota has made numerous investments
since 1991, which includes $3.9
billion into the state's economy and $17.9 million in nonprofit contributions.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Javier
Moreno, Toyota Corporate Communications
469-292-1027
Javier_moreno@toyota.com
Josh Reed, Allison+Partners
480-282-7205
Josh@allisonpr.com
NOTE TO EDITORS: For event photos, please visit
http://bit.ly/1eh6TbZ. Password: Plano
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM), the world's top
automaker and creator of the Prius and the Mirai fuel cell vehicle,
is committed to building vehicles for the way people live through
our Toyota, Lexus and Scion
brands. Over the past 50 years, we've built more than 25
million cars and trucks in North
America, where we operate 14 manufacturing plants (10 in the
U.S.) and directly employ more than 42,000 people (more than 33,000
in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North American dealerships (1,500 in
the U.S.) sold more than 2.67 million cars and trucks (more than
2.35 million in the U.S.) in 2014 – and about 80 percent of all
Toyota vehicles sold over the past 20 years are still on the road
today.
Toyota partners with philanthropic organizations across the
country, with a focus on education, safety and the
environment. As part of this commitment, we share the
company's extensive know-how garnered from building great cars and
trucks to help community organizations and other nonprofits expand
their ability to do good. For more information about Toyota,
visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.
About the Special Olympics World Games Los Angeles
2015
With 7,000 athletes and 3,000 coaches representing
177 countries, along with 30,000 volunteers and an anticipated
500,000 spectators, the 2015 Special Olympics World Games – being
staged in Los Angeles July 25 - August 2,
2015 – will be the largest sports and humanitarian event
anywhere in the world in 2015, and the single biggest event in
Los Angeles since the 1984 Olympic
Games. The 2015 Special Olympics World Games, with the unparalleled
spirit, enthusiasm, teamwork, joy and displays of courage and skill
that are hallmarks of all Special Olympics events, will feature 25
Olympic-style sports in venues throughout the Los Angeles region. The Opening Ceremony,
to be held July 25, 2015 in the historic Los Angeles
Memorial Coliseum, site of the 1932 and 1984 Olympic Games, is
expected to attract 80,000 spectators. On April 30, 2014, LA2015 and ESPN announced a
global programming deal that will see ESPN bring coverage of World
Games to millions of fans around the world. LA2015, the Games
Organizing Committee, is a recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit
organization. For more information on the 2015 Special
Olympics World Games, including volunteer and sponsorship
opportunities, visit www.LA2015.org and on
social with #ReachUpLA
on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About Special Olympics USA
Special Olympics USA will send a 482 member delegation of
athletes, coaches and official delegates to represent the United States at the 2015 Special Olympics
World Summer Games, being held July
25-August 2, 2015, in Los
Angeles, California. The "home team" will include 344
athletes and Unified Partners, representing all fifty states and
the District of Columbia. Athletes
will compete in 17 sports, including aquatics, athletics
(track & field), basketball, bocce, bowling, cycling,
equestrian, golf, gymnastics (artistic and rhythmic), kayaking,
powerlifting, sailing, soccer, softball, tennis, and
volleyball. The team includes several Special Olympics
Unified Sports® teams, where people with and without
intellectual disability compete together, as teammates. Special
Olympics USA is supported by 96
volunteer coaches and 42 volunteer sports and management team
members. Official sponsors for Special Olympics USA include Finish Line, Toyota, Champion, The
Coca-Cola Company, American Federation of Teachers, Tommie Copper, Midwest Trophy Manufacturing,
KPMG – Golf team sponsor, Mattel – Cycling team sponsor, and Speedo
USA – Swimming team official
supplier. To learn more and to follow the team, visit
http://www.specialolympicsusa.org/, Facebook -
www.facebook.com/SpecialOlympicsUSA, Twitter -
@SpecialOlyUSA, Instagram - SpecialOlympicsUSA.
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SOURCE Toyota