This morning Good Morning America Announces URAA! Prior to the 2015 Summer World Games in Los Angeles, there will be a Unified Relay Across America (URAA) that takes the Flame of Hope from Athens, Greece and brings it to the United States. From there, the flame will be separated into three separate torches. Athletes, volunteers, fans and law enforcement will take these torches and run it across the United States following three different routes to help deliver their torch to Los Angeles in time for the Opening Ceremony.

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Learn more about how YOU can get involved with Special Olympics Pennsylvania during the Unified Relay Across America by clicking here!

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URAA

Registration has opened for the first-ever Special Olympics Unified Relay Across America (URAA) presented by Bank of America. The Unified Relay will give anyone in the country a chance to carry the Flame of Hope that will be lit in Athens, Greece and help deliver it to Los Angeles for the Special Olympics World Games. Over the course of 46 days, in a hand-to-hand exchange, over 20,000 participants will run, walk or bike a segment of the relay in this team and individual fundraising event as it passes through all 50 states.

The Pennsylvania set of legs will begin on June 4th. The relay will culminate at the Opening Ceremony of the 2015 Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles on July 25, 2015. ESPN, the official broadcaster of the World Games, will produce the Opening Ceremony live as well as a nightly highlights program throughout the nine-day event.

What:                                 

Special Olympics Unified Relay Across America presented by Bank of America

Who:                                   

ANYONE can be a torchbearer in the Special Olympics Unified Relay Across America presented by Bank of America. Over 20,000 participants expected to take part as torchbearers.

Where:               

Across the U.S – Over the course of 46 days, in a hand-to-hand exchange, torchbearers will run, bike, walk, rollerblade or roll a segment of the relay in this team and individual fundraising event. The Unified Relay will have three simultaneous routes, Northern, Central and Southern, and will pass through all 50 states.

When:                                

May 26 – July 10

Why:                                    

Funds raised from the Unified Relay will go to Special Olympics to provide sports training, competition opportunities and additional programming that empowers people with intellectual disabilities to become accepted and valued members of their communities, which leads to a more respectful and inclusive society for all.  

How:                   

Register as a team or individual at http://www.unifiedrelay.org/

Co-Captains:

Each Unified Relay route will be led by a group of co-captains, including media personalities, actors, musicians, athletes and Special Olympics athletes like PA’s very own Johanna Schoeneck.Co-captains will serve as spokespeople for the Special Olympics movement and the Unified Relay, encouraging participation through registration, fundraising and spectatorship.

Johanna Schoeneck

Johanna Schoeneck

Unified Relay Across America Co-Captain, Northern Route

Current hometown: Cogan Station, Pennsylvania

Johanna has competed at the local, state and international levels of Special Olympics. She represented the United States at the 2011 Special Olympics World Games in Athens, Greece in her favorite sport, equestrian.

 About Special Olympics World Games Los Angeles 2015 (LA2015)

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 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.  Visit http://www.la2015.org/ for more information.

Click here to find out what athletes and volunteers will represent Pennsylvania at the Games.