The Bellevue Breakfast Rotary Club presented a $5,000 donation to the Special Olympics Washington Friday morning at the Glendale Country Club.

Earlier this year, the Bellevue Breakfast Rotary Club (BBRC) organized the All in for Autism 5K/10K Run/Walk in Bellevue. The event is in its eleventh year and tookplace on April 23. This event attracted more than 2,500 people to the race, and they raised over $135,000 from the event.

The donation to Special Olympics Washington is in support of their mission to support 17,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities, through their year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic type sports. This gives these individuals continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in the sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympic athletes and the community.

Kaj Pedersen, President of the BBRC commented that, “The Special Olympics Washington organization provides a wonderful opportunity that allows athletes to demonstrate their abilities, where they can celebrate their accomplishments within an inclusive community, and helps them grow in confidence that comes from healthy competition. We are proud of our association, and partnership, with Special Olympics Washington and its push for acceptance and understanding of their athletes within our community. It aligns with the values of Rotary and its goal to make a difference for younger members of our community, regardless of their circumstances.”

Dave Lenox, Special Olympics Washington CEO, added, “Our association with BBRC has been an excellent example, of how partnering with local community, through organizations like the Rotary, can help us spread the word of Special Olympics, and the benefits it brings to our athletes. This donation will help us continue in our mission to celebrate our athletes’ abilities, and not their disabilities, through sports, while securing acceptance and understanding of our athletic community.”