HAIL THE OLYMPIANS! - Lawmakers Honor Colorado’s Winter Athletes

This morning, the Senate passed a joint resolution honoring Colorado’s Olympic athletes who are heading to Vancouver for the winter games. Senator Gail Schwartz (D-Snowmass) sponsored the resolution to offer her profound respect and support for these dedicated athletes. The resolution acknowledges Colorado’s Olympians “work endless hours, train for many years, and give the best of themselves in order to achieve the honor of competing in these events.”

Colorado is sending 21 athletes to the 2010 Winter Games and they will be competing in everything from ice hockey to figure skating. Senator Schwartz will be proudly watching several athletes from her district compete, including Aspen snowboarders Gretchen Bleiler and Chris Klug and freestyle skier Casey Puckett.

Senator Schwartz said, “It is an honor to see Colorado citizens shine on the global stage, and I am so proud to represent our dedicated Olympic athletes. We look forward to welcoming them home knowing they have given their all! "

Colorado has a long tradition of sending residents to the Olympics, most recently sending over 20 athletes to the Summer Games in Bejing. Colorado is also the home of the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. The Olympic Training Center houses and prepares over 500 U.S. athletes for the Olympics, and is the headquarters of the United States Olympic Committee.

The resolution is cosponsored by Sen. Bruce Whitehead (D-Hesperus), Sen. Dan Gibbs (D-Summit County), Sen. Al White (R-Hayden) and Rep. Baumgartner (R-Hot Sulphur Springs).