The Opening Ceremony and Great Walk will kick off Corporate Challenge 2013 this Friday. Last year, the University's teams helped raise $172,000 for the Special Olympics of Texas.
UT Dallas staff and faculty are invited to participate in a series of competitions to raise money for Special Olympics of Texas during Corporate Challenge 2013, Aug. 16-Oct. 18.
Some 50 local companies will engage in athletic and non-athletic individual and team contests that range from badminton to volleyball to dominoes during the Olympics-style festivities. All Corporate Challenge events are planned after normal business hours or on weekends.
The Opening Ceremony and Great Walk will kick off this year's challenge at 5:15 p.m. Friday, Aug. 16, at Galatyn Plaza in Richardson. All are invited to participate in the ceremony, which features food and drinks, the presentation of colors, the lighting of the torch and a parade of Special Olympians.
Attendees of the Opening Ceremony are encouraged to wear gear – shirts, buttons or stickers – that identify their company and show off their corporate spirit. Judges will watch for the most spirited group to give the coveted Spirit Sticks and Tailgate Award.
The Great Walk, which will travel a three-quarter-mile paved trail through the Galatyn forest, represents the first opportunity for companies to earn points in the Corporate Challenge. Walkers begin at the start tent, where they pick up small tokens to carry. Walkers then leave the tokens at a midpoint station to be counted. One point is earned for every six walkers, with a maximum of 30 points awarded toward UT Dallas’ total. Students, faculty, staff, friends and family are welcome to participate.
UT Dallas will have a booth and a food truck on site. Snow cones will be sold as part of UT Dallas’ fundraising effort.
“UT Dallas continues to be a strong supporter of this community,” said Dr. Calvin Jamison, vice president for administration. “Corporate Challenge is a great way to engage our campus community in a little friendly corporate competition for an excellent cause.”
UT Dallas already has close to 200 staffers signed up on teams ready to compete in various events. Interested staff or faculty members can still fill out a signup sheet and email it to corporatechallenge@utdallas.edu.
Last year, Corporate Challenge raised $172,000 for Special Olympics of Texas.
For more information, please visit the University’s Corporate Challenge website or email corporatechallenge@utdallas.edu.