Alexandria — The Olympics are upon us and to celebrate its arrival, the Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities will have Olympic Day, June 22, from noon to 5 p.m. at the Nannie J. Lee Memorial Recreation Center located at 1108 Jefferson St. For the second year, the department was chosen by the official Olympic Planning Committee to host a community event that taught about the values of the Olympic Games: fair play, perseverance, respect and sportsmanship.
Each neighborhood center participates each year in this annual event. We engage in a number of activities that promote athleticism and healthy living habits. The games this year are two and four square, hula hoop competition, relay and sack races, tug of war and jump rope. Our entertainment will also be a combination of dance and sport with the Afficials Allstars. They will lead the DanceSport activity to the sounds of Miley Cyrus.
There will be two Olympians at our event and they will share their experiences with us and speak about the values of the Olympic Games.
Osman Orlando played for the Black Stars, Ghana National Soccer Team qualified in the 1968 in Munich, Germany and 1972 in Mexico City, Mexico. He played professionally for the American Soccer League for the Ohio Comets. Orlando has coached at all levels from little leagues to the college.
Gary Russell Jr. is an undefeated American professional boxer in the featherweight division and brother of 2010 National Golden Gloves champion Gary Allen Russell III. After a decorated amateur career that culminated in a spot at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Russell turned pro in 2009 and has since remained undefeated. When he was an amateur, Sugar Ray Leonard compared Russell to himself (Wikipedia, 2012).
For more information please call McKenya Dilworth-Abdalla, Chair of Olympic Day at 703-746-5481 or Jamie Aylor at 703-746-5425, Co-Chair of Olympic Day.