Press Release - Sport Accord 2009 Conference
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OFFICE OF GOVERNOR BILL RITTER, JR
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 2009
CONTACT:
Evan Dreyer, 720.350.8370, evan.dreyer@state.co.us
GOV. RITTER WELCOMES SPORT ACCORD 2009 CONFERENCE TO COLORADO
Gov. Bill Ritter is scheduled to join Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper tonight in welcoming international dignitaries and thousands of SportAccord 2009 participants to Colorado for the annual sports federation conference.
Here are Gov. Ritter's remarks as prepared for delivery during opening ceremonies at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House:
"I would like to welcome each of you to SportAccord 2009. It is a great honor for me to stand here this evening and share with you a little bit about the state that's been home my entire life. Perhaps I never moved away because nowhere else could I find sunshine 300 days a year, the beauty of the Rockies, incredible skiing and such a vivacious and passionate people.
"Coloradans love life and celebrate humanity everyday. We strive to live up to the Colorado Promise. It's a simple promise actually: it's about making a better future. It's about hope and finding common ground for the common good. Colorado is a diverse state. We embrace our frontier spirit. We are bold. We are up to any challenge. And we celebrate life and go forward full of hope.
"Just over an hour down the road are hundreds of our Olympic hopefuls at the USOC's Olympic training center in Colorado Springs. Down the hall here, there might be a young girl preparing for her first recital. In our nearby mountains, an elite skier might be pushing herself to new limits.
"We respect and celebrate nature and its beauty. We are immensely proud of our Western heritage. In fact, we're quite proud to say that Beijing wasn't the only city to experience a gold rush... We are just as proud to don our ski boots as we are to pull on cowboy boots. And we wear our ballet shoes as proudly as our hockey skates.
"I hope you enjoy seeing a little of my state... from the Western perspective. Welcome to our great American West."