Team Communication #6

June 10, 2016

To all members of the 2017 Austria Law Enforcement Torch Run Final Leg Team

 

Greetings Final Leg Runners! 

I have been seeing a lot of activity on Facebook lately highlighting many of your local Torch Runs leading up to your Summer Games and it is awe-inspiring!  In just a short 268 days you will be in Austria as Guardians of the Flame for the 2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games.  It will be here before you know it!

I hope everyone has been communicating with one another and building your team identity and esprit de corps.  You will find very quickly, that you will all have form a mutual bond that will make for amazing friendships that last a lifetime! 

The next big step in the planning process is getting all Team travel arranged.  Unless your program has been approved through me as the Team Captain to make alternate arrangements, FCM Garber Travel will be booking all Team travel.  As you know, the travel payment (cost of the roundtrip airline tickets) is the responsibility of the home SO/LETR programs (except athletes, Running Team Leaders and Council Logistics Team).  Travel payment information (credit card information) has been received from almost all of you so that we can now begin booking the flights while they are at their cheapest!   FCM Garber Travel, our travel agent through Special Olympics, Inc., has been provided with a spreadsheet listing every runner and their home airport as well as seat preference, information that you already provided us in your registration.  Every effort will be made to book the cheapest flight possible within the time constraints for the arrival and return flights.  Prior to actual booking, the selected runner and the party responsible for payment will receive an e-mail with the flight itinerary for review and approval.  We need your approval for the flight schedules and costs as soon as you receive the itinerary.  PLEASE check your e-mail on a daily basis, as the flights can only be held by FCM Travel for 24 hours once you are sent the itinerary for approval.

All travel will be booked within the mandated arrival and departure times so that we can plan according for transportation to and from the airport.   Athletes will be booked to travel with the runner from their state/country. 

The plan is for all runners to arrive in Zurich, Switzerland on March 8, 2017, no later than 3:30 p.m. local time.  Due to distance, time zones and flight schedules, some runners may be booked to arrive on March 7th.  Also, due to time zones and flight distances and overnight flights, the outbound departure date may actually be a day earlier for many.  The Final Leg will conclude and all runners return home on March 20, 2017.    For a number of you who have requested to come in a little early or stay on a little later, as indicated, you will be on your own as far as transportation, lodging and food outside of the official Final Leg travel dates.

THANKS to everyone who are already engaged in fundraising for the Flughafen See Polar Plunge!  To date, over $4500 has been raised, led by Allison Fahey from New South Wales, Australia who is on Team #7 and has raised over $1700 so far!  Team #7 is in the lead with over $2600 raised to date!  Remember, anyone who raises over $2500 will receive a genuine, custom made, limited edition…not available anywhere else, 2017 Austria Final Leg Torch!   In the heat of the summer, the Polar Plunge is very COOL to talk about and encourage your family, friends, colleagues, co-workers and anyone else to donate to such a worthy cause!  Remember, a lot of small donations add up quickly!

Stay tuned for more information on the Final Leg!

Please start preparing now for the Final Leg, as the better running shape you are in, the more you will enjoy this event.

 

All the best,

John Newnan

Team Captain

2017 Austria Final Leg

Remember why we do, what we do….it’s all about the athletes!

                                                   

“Being a part of this is not a burden, it’s not a charity, it’s not a duty, it’s a joy!  To be friends with, run with and be a part of the lives of the athletes of Special Olympics is one of the great honors in life!”

- Dr. Timothy Shriver