HOUSTON – BP announced today that it will sponsor the 2014 Warrior Games, the premier sporting event for wounded, ill or injured U.S. military veterans and active-duty service members.
This will be BP’s fourth consecutive year as an associate sponsor of the Games, highlighting the company’s ongoing commitment to former and active U.S. service men and women.
“We are proud to show our commitment to America and to our men and women in uniform by again supporting the Warrior Games,” said John Mingé, chairman and president of BP America. “We look forward to cheering on these passionate and remarkable athletes, who are the embodiment of BP’s values of excellence, courage and teamwork.”
The Games, which run from Sept. 28 to Oct. 4 at four venues around Colorado Springs, will feature more than 200 wounded, ill or injured veterans and active-duty service members competing in seven Paralympic events. Presented by Deloitte and supported by the Department of Defense, the Games will include athletes representing the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy.
During the six-day event, BP again will serve as the official sponsor of the wheelchair basketball tournament, which begins Sept. 29 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center (USOTC). BP also will host a reception for its nonprofit partners on Sept. 30 in which the company will make a $10,000 donation to the Fisher House Foundation, which provides lodging for military and veterans’ families at no cost while a loved one receives treatment. The donation is part of BP’s Wellness Warrior Challenge — a wellness initiative for BP employees aligned with the Warrior Games.
On Oct. 3, BP will extend its support of the Warrior Games by, for the first time, hosting the Paralympic Experience with the Paralympic Sport Club of Colorado Springs. The Experience will include demonstrations and a hands-on clinic with three different Paralympic sports: cycling, wheelchair basketball and boccia ball.
More than 40 participants are expected to attend from local rehabilitation hospitals for children and young adults. Participants also will attend the BP-sponsored gold medal wheelchair basketball game that evening.
The opening ceremony for the Warrior Games is set for Sunday at 2:15 p.m. MDT inside the USOTC’s Sports Center 1 building.
For more information, visit www.bp.com/warriorgames.
Over the past five years, BP has invested nearly $50 billion in the U.S. – more than any other energy company. BP is a leading producer of oil and gas and provides enough energy annually to light the entire country for a year. Employing approximately 20,000 people in all 50 states, BP supports more than 260,000 jobs total through all of its business activities. For more information, go to www.bp.com/us.