LOS ANGELES, July 24, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern
California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) is proud to be a sponsor of the
2015 Special Olympics World Games. The utility will have the
largest corporate team of "Fans in the Stands" for any single event
during the World Games, as well as sponsor the clean and efficient
natural gas fuel for 300 buses that will transport athletes and
their coaches to the different sporting venues. SoCalGas is also
donating more than $100,000.
With 6,500 athletes and 2,000 coaches representing 165
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 to August 2, 2015 – is 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.
There will be a sea of blue SoCalGas T-shirts when more than
1,900 SoCalGas employees, their families and friends
enthusiastically cheer on athletes as "Fans in the Stands" on
July 25 at the USC Galen Center from 8 a.m.
to noon. Team SoCalGas will also be joined by youth and
advisors from four non-profit organizations including:
- Boys Republic (Private, non-sectarian school and
treatment community to help troubled youth)
- Love Them All Foundation (A nonprofit organization that
strives to brighten, inspire and influence the lives of youth in
need)
- The Let it Be Foundation (A nonprofit organization that
provides support and services to families of children diagnosed
with a life threatening pediatric illness)
- Boys & Girls Club of Buena
Park
And, more than 150 SoCalGas employees have signed up for
multi-day volunteer roles at various venues throughout the World
Games.
The natural gas buses used to transport the athletes and their
coaches produce 20-30 percent less greenhouse gases than
gasoline or diesel-powered vehicles. Clean-burning natural gas
buses also produce less noise and have lower emissions. Natural gas
is safe and affordable as well. As a pioneer in supporting natural
gas vehicle (NGV) technology, SoCalGas actively supports the
development of the NGV infrastructure, including refueling
facilities. SoCalGas has an extensive NGV support program to
provide information, education and support to residential and
business customers that use, or would benefit from using,
clean-burning natural gas as a transportation fuel.
"Special Olympics exemplifies the spirit of competition and
fosters the inclusion of all people," said Jimmie Cho, senior vice president of gas
operations and system integrity at SoCalGas, who is leading
SoCalGas' volunteer and fundraising efforts as executive champion.
"We at SoCalGas are passionate about everyone achieving their full
potential. The spirit of competition challenges all of us to pursue
our best."
"SoCalGas has a long history of working with Special Olympics
and we are so grateful for their tremendous support through
volunteer activities, donations and helping us raise awareness for
our organization," said Stephanie
Medina, senior vice president of community relations with
Special Olympics World Games.
To learn more about the 2015 Special Olympics World Games, go to
www.la2015.org.
About Southern California Gas Co.
Southern California
Gas Co. has been delivering clean, safe and reliable natural gas to
its customers for more than 140 years. It is the nation's largest
natural gas distribution utility, providing service to 21.4 million
consumers connected through 5.9 million meters in more than 500
communities. The company's service territory encompasses
approximately 20,000 square miles throughout central and
Southern California, from
Visalia to the Mexican border.
Southern California Gas Co. is a regulated subsidiary of Sempra
Energy (NYSE: SRE), a Fortune 500 energy services holding company
based in San Diego.
About Special Olympics
Special Olympics is a global
movement that unleashes the human spirit through the transformative
power and joy of sports, every day around the world. Special
Olympics 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. Using sports as the
catalyst and programming around health and education, Special
Olympics is fighting inactivity, injustice and intolerance.
Founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy
Shriver, the Special Olympics movement has grown to more
than 4.5 million athletes in 170 countries. With the support of
more than 1.3 million coaches and volunteers, Special Olympics
delivers 32 Olympic-type sports and more than 94,000 games and
competitions throughout the year.
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SOURCE Southern California Gas Co.