TIMES THEOLYMPICSWERE CANCELED
German Empire was supposed to host the games in Berlin, but by the time 1916 rolled around, Europe was deep in the trenches of WWI. Many nations had sent their athletes to fight in the war, so the games were canceled. World War II caused the next two cancellations. The 1940 Olympics were initially scheduled to be held in Tokyo. It would have been the first time the games were hosted by a non-Western country, but Japan forfeited the right to host when they invaded China in 1937. The games were then rebooked for Helsinki, Finland, but after Nazi Germany invaded Poland in 1939 and started WWII, those games were scrapped as well. Since the fighting hadn’t ceased by the time the games were supposed to happen in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, in 1944, the Olympics were canceled again. Though the Olympics have happened on schedule since the end of WWII, the United States has not always participated. In 1980, when the U.S. boycotted the Olympics that were held in Moscow, Russia, in protest of the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan, 64 other nations followed suit. However, those games still went on as planned and 80 countries participated. The fact that major global conflicts are the only other events that have been catastrophic enough to affect the Olympics might be distressing and elevate anxiety about our current global health crisis. However, it’s important to keep in mind that the Olympics have only been postponed this time, not canceled. We’ll still get to cheer on our favorite Olympians next year.
In late March, amid the global spread of COVID-19, the International Olympic Committee announced the postponement of the 2020 Olympic Games. They were slated to take place in Tokyo, Japan, this summer, but they will now happen in the summer of 2021. While this is an unprecedented decision, it’s not the first time that major global events have affected the Olympic Games or which countries participated. Since the inception of the modern Olympic Games in 1896, they have been outright canceled three times — 1916, 1940, and 1944. The first cancellation of the Olympic Games happened during World War I. The
CUSTOMER SPOTLIGHT:
FANNIN PREGNANCY CARE CENTER
So far in this newsletter, you’ve met a lot of race organizers — folks who use our shirts to outfit racers raising money for everything from medical bill compensation to bike infrastructure. We love working with these amazing people, but we have to give the crown for the most creative race theme to Fannin Pregnancy Care Center (FPCC). This year in Bonham, Texas, the center’s racers will pull on shirts featuring Baby Yoda’s adorable, internet-famous face for the FPCC Baby Yoda Crawl 5K & Walk for Life. “Last year, our theme was ‘May the Fourth Be With You’ because we held the race on ‘Star Wars’ Day,” says Terri Rountree, the center’s executive director. This year, even though the event was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic, Rountree and the faith-based nonprofit stuck with the theme. Baby Yoda is cute year-round, after all! The money FPCC raises at the race will fund its many services for girls struggling with unexpected pregnancies. “We offer free pregnancy tests and free sonograms, and we have prenatal classes that are free, along with parenting classes, Bible studies, and any kind of counseling that they might need,” Terri says. “All of our services
are free. When the girls do classes, they earn points to be used in what we call our ‘boutique,’ where they can buy formula, diapers, wipes, and baby clothes. Anything a baby needs, we have it here or can access it for them.” The Baby Yoda Crawl will be our fifth race working with FPCC, and we’ve had an excellent partnership since day one.
“Lynnpro was suggested to us by one of our volunteers whose sister had used them before, and they’ve been just amazing,” Terri says. “They help us design the shirts, and we can just give them a heads up and they’ll get it done in a week. It’s so timely and extremely reasonably priced! I haven’t found anyone better priced, and as a nonprofit, that’s a biggie.” FPCC is a great resource for girls in need, and we’re proud to help the organization with their races. If you’re in the Bonham, Texas, area and want to learn more about their services or join their next race, send an email to FanninPregnancyCC@gmail.com.
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