Community
BY KAMERYN GRIESSER
Special Olympics Texas Winter Games For the third year in a row, Bee Cave and Lakeway hosted the Special Olympics Winter Games, a regional competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. On Feb. 16-18, hundreds of athletes from across the state competed in the multiday event, which included sports such as powerlifting, volleyball, floorball and golf. Both cities helped fund the event through hotel occupancy tax revenue, with Lakeway contributing $300,000 and Bee Cave contributing $100,000—a small price to pay in the view of city leaders who said they recognize both the social impact of the event and the benefit of visitors boosting the local economy. Special Olympics Texas organizes over 300 regional and state-level competitions annually around the state, with previous competitions held in other cities such as Dallas and San Marcos. 1 Some athletes participated in FUNdamental sports, which work on foundational motor and social skills to prepare them for future competitions. 2 Athletes could participate in a variety of events, such as powerlifting. 3 Floorball, a type of floor hockey, was another event athletes had the chance to participate in at the games. 4 The golf invitational at Lions Municipal Golf Course allowed athletes to test their skills on the green along- side one another. 5 The volleyball competitions were hosted at HCI Sports & Fitness. 6 Each participant receives a medal or ribbon follow- ing their events.
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2024 Westies Awards Luncheon Hosted by the Westlake Chamber of Commerce, local Westlake businesses, volunteers and residents were recognized at the 2024 Westies Awards Luncheon on March 1. The 21 finalists were selected by an independent panel of judges and received various awards. 1 Business of the Year winner YourHire Recruiting specializes in nationwide talent acquisition for busi- nesses and nonprofits. From left, 2023 winner Stuart Wilsey of Marye’s Gourmet Pizza Pub, Theresa Torelli of YourHire Recruiting, sponsor Duncan Wheeler of R Bank and Stacy Garcia of YourHire Recruiting pose together. 2 Nonprofit of the Year winner Miracle Foundation, which reunifies orphaned children with their families, trains social workers to prevent child separation and works locally with children in foster care.
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LAKE TRAVIS - WESTLAKE EDITION
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