Ryan Stanzel
Director of Communications
Friday, March 31, 2006
713.361.7930 (Direct Line)

STATE CHAMPION SPECIAL OLYMPIAN TRAVELS TO HOUSTON TO MEET CHAD HEDRICK THIS SATURDAY

HOUSTON, Texas – Olympic champion speedskater Chad Hedrick, who is hosting a pre-game reception for Special Olympians prior to Saturday’s 7:35 p.m. game against Peoria, is welcoming one athlete in particular. Calvin Stumpe (pronounced STUMP), a 16-year-old Special Olympian Gold Medalist in speedskating in Illinois, is traveling with his family to meet Hedrick, his hero.



Stumpe, his 12-year-old brother Kyle, father Dan and mother Becky are all traveling to Houston to take part in the festivities Saturday. The Aeros would like to thank Sterling Bank, Lauren Kay and Courtyard by Marriott for helping to make the Stumpe family’s visit a reality. Calvin Stumpe also competes in 10 other Special Olympic sports. He has won more than 150 medals.



The Stumpe family will attend the pre-game reception from 6:30-7:10 p.m. in the Aeros’ “Family Room” at Toyota Center, located next to Media Dining. Both Hedrick and the Stumpe family will be available for interviews.



“I picked Special Olympics, because when I made the transition from inline to speedskating, a lot of people didn’t like the way I skated,” said Hedrick, a native of Spring, Texas, who will also drop the ceremonial puck prior to the game. “I hit a tremendous time of adversity. This is what these kids go through every day. They have to fight just like I did when I made the transition.”



The Aeros are giving fans and businesses a chance to attend the pre-game reception. For $550, get a block of 50 tickets and an invitation for four to the private reception with Hedrick and the Special Olympians. Use the tickets yourself, or donate them to the Special Olympics athletes and volunteers. To order, please call the Aeros office at 713.974.PUCK. At least $150 from every package will be donated directly to Special Olympics.

Fans have the ability to get in on the action on a smaller scale, as well. Fans can buy $20 corner tickets or $11 end zone tickets through the Aeros’ office, and a portion of the proceeds will go towards the Special Olympics. Please call 713.974.PUCK to order. Or visit www.aeros.com/themenights. Username is Chad, password is Champion. With this option, $5 from corner tickets and $3 from end zone tickets go to the Special Olympics. This option does not include the pre-game reception.

Hedrick, 28, won gold at the 5,000-meters at the recently completed 2006 Olympic Games, while also taking silver in the 10,000-meters and bronze in the 1,500-meters. He became just the third American skater to win three medals in a single Winter Olympic Games. Hedrick was a 50-time inline skating world champion when he decided to take to the ice in 2002 after watching former inline champions, Derek Parra and Jen Rodriguez, win medals in Salt Lake. Hedrick’s father, Paul, owns Champions Roller World in Spring. The younger Hedrick played hockey as a youth in Texas.

For more information on Chad Hedrick, visit www.chadhedrick.com. Hedrick is represented by Dallas firm Clipse Management (www.clipsemanagement.com).

---HOUSTON AEROS, BE A FAN---