Employees Volunteer Another Year at Special Olympics

Nearly 20 employees from the various Washington Companies traveled to Great Falls, Montana on Thursday, May 15th to support local athletes at the 2008 Montana Special Olympics Summer Games.

Over 1,000 participants from all around the state competed in a variety of athletic events including soccer, track and field, cycling, bowling and power lifting.

Through the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation, volunteers spent the day helping the Special Olympics Montana organization make this year's event the most extraordinary yet.

Volunteers were in charge of marshalling athletes to their stations and preparing them for events, providing water and snacks for participants, presenting medals at the awards ceremony and more importantly, encouraging every athlete to do their best.

Volunteer and Envirocon employee Gayle Timmons said, "It was a truly wonderful and rewarding experience. It was such a positive and happy place to be."

Established in 1988, The Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation is the major philanthropic organization for the Washington Companies which includes Envirocon, Montana Rail Link, Modern Machinery and several others. These privately held companies specialize in the industries of rail and marine transportation, aviation, environmental remediation and restoration services, real estate, heavy equipment sales and service, and mining. The Foundation is funded by the profits of the Washington Companies. Since its inception, Foundation giving and the Washington Family's personal contributions to charitable causes total more than $77 million.

The Special Olympics is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering individuals with intellectual disabilities to become physically fit, productive and respected members of society through sports training and competition. Special Olympics Montana strives to be the "charity of choice" in Montana which is financially stable, increasingly endowed and served by a strong, well-trained volunteer force.