FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MAY 31, 2018
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2018 CAN-AM GAMES COME TO THE LAKE OF THE OZARKS
Lake of the Ozarks, MO - Hundreds of athletes will be heading to the Lake of the Ozarks from around the globe to compete in the
2018 Can-Am Police-Fire Games slated for June 25 through July 1.
 The Can-Am (Canadian-American) Games is an Olympic-style sporting event featuring nearly 50 different individual and team-based competitive categories including CrossFit, golf, swimming, track and field, trap shooting, archery, cycling, fishing, shooting, sporting clays, "Toughest Competitor Alive" and much more.
The events will take place in Camdenton, Lake Ozark, Linn Creek, Osage Beach and Sunrise Beach in the Lake of the Ozarks area as well as Columbia and Lebanon, depending upon the specific competition. Tan-Tar-A Resort in Osage Beach will serve as the host hotel for participants.
The Can-Am Games was
started in
1977 to promote physical fitness and camaraderie among law enforcement, fire service, emergency medical service (EMS), protective services personnel and related agencies
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The Can-Am Police-Fire Games promotes physical fitness and camaraderie and features many different competitions for participants to test themselves.
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The entire Lake of the Ozarks community is excited to welcome the 2018 Can-Am Police-Fire Games to our piece of paradise next month," says Lagina Fitzpatrick, director of sales for the Lake of the Ozarks Convention and Visitors Bureau and Tri-County Lodging Association.
"At this time, we have competitors coming from six countries and 26 different U.S. states, including Missouri. The committee and community has b
een hard at work preparing for the week-long event full of sports and evening social events. We couldn't be more pleased to have these heroes experience all that the Lake has to offer."
Fitzpatrick, who also is the director of the Lake of the Ozarks Can-Am Games Planning Committee, played an essential role in bringing the games to the Lake of the Ozarks.
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One of the competitive events is the Toughest Firefighter Alive.
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"This has truly been a labor of love for me and a fantastic example of what can happen when our community comes together to achieve a common goal. I'm very grateful the Can-Am Board of Directors recognized the passion we have for our community and emergency service personnel and for the opportunity to host the games," Fitzpatrick added.
This major international multi-day event takes place every other year and past locations include Regina, Saskatchewan; Milwaukee, Wis.; Spokane, Wash., London, Ontario; St. Cloud, Minn.; York County, Pa.; and Thunder Bay, Ontario. The Lake of the Ozarks has the distinction of being the first-ever site to host the games back-to-back as the area will host the 2020 games as well.
International competitors for the 2018 Games represent five of Canada's 10 provinces
as well as Brazil, England, India, Isle of Man and Ukraine.
The 2018 Games gets underway on Monday, June 25 with the opening ceremonies at the 10,000-seat Ozarks Amphitheater, 2629 North Business Route 5 in Camdenton, beginning at 7 p.m. The ceremonies will include a remembrance of fallen heroes, a welcome from state and local officials and the lighting of the Can-Am Games cauldron. Other opening cermony festivities include emergency vehicles on display, fun games, an exotic petting zoo, Can-Am merchandise stands, fireworks and more. The opening ceremony is free to attend and open to the public as well as the athletes and their families.
The first competitive sporting events begin on Tuesday, June 26 with golf, swimming, and the Toughest Firefighter Alive competitions taking place throughout the day. Remaining competitions take place throughout the rest of the week beginning at 8 a.m. with the last events taking place at 6 p.m.
The competitive events finish up the morning of Sunday, July 1. Award ceremonies will take place after each event.
All competitive events are open to the public and the selected venues are all spectator-friendly. Attendance is free to all sporting events as is parking. The public is encouraged to come out to see these athletes perform and to cheer them to glory.
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Competitors will have many social events and recreational opportunities to enjoy as well, such as a scenic cruise on the Lake of the Ozarks aboard the Tropic Island.
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Given that the Lake of the Ozarks was named by readers of USA Today as the "Best Recreational Lake" in the nation, local organizers of the Games have developed a calendar of special social activities and recreational opportunities that the participants and their families will be able to enjoy while at the Lake. Social events include a family fun night at Big Surf Waterpark, a narrated scenic sunset cruise aboard the Tropic Island luxury yacht, a family-friendly "dive in" movie night at Tan-Tar-A Resort's main swimming pool, a Unified Mini-Golf Tournament with athletes of Special Olympics Missouri and a closing night party at Old Kinderhook on Saturday, June 30.
The Can-Am Games is a non-profit event. All proceeds from the 2018 Lake of the Ozarks Can-Am Police-Fire Games will go to Special Olympics Missouri.
Visitors interested in attending the Lake of the Ozarks Can-Am Games to experience these Olympic-style competitions and to cheer on the participants can head to
www.LakeOzarkCanAmGames.com for more information on the different featured sporting events, a schedule of all the competitions and list of hosting venues.
To find out more about Lake of the Ozarks-area events, attractions and fun things to do like fishing, golfing, shopping, hiking or boating, visit the Lake of the Ozarks Convention and Visitor Bureau's (CVB) website at www.FunLake.com. Additional information on great places to go for dining or places to stay also can be found at the CVB's website or by calling
800-FUN-LAKE (386-5253).
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LAKE OF THE OZARKS TRI-COUNTY LODGING ASSOCIATION
& CONVENTION AND VISITOR BUREAU
Phone: 800-FUN-LAKE (386-5253) Fax: 573-348-2293
P.O. Box 1498 Osage Beach, MO 65065
Website: www.FunLake.com Email: [email protected]
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