Morro Bay Lions Club will host nearly 100 Special Olympics participants and coaches from the United Arab Emirates destined for the 2015 Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles from July 25–Aug. 2. The Special Olympians will be at Del Mar Park from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, July 23 playing various games, like pickleball, disc golf, volleyball, basketball, soccer, horseshoes, bocce ball and tennis. Lunch is at noon, with ice cream sundaes (courtesy of the MB Seniors, Inc.). There’s a meet-and-greet at 12:30 and school kids from Del Mar Elementary along with the community are invited to attend (lots of selfies will no doubt be taken). Bring your autograph books.

The agenda includes a bay cruise aboard the Chablis, trolley rides and more, as the city puts out the welcome mat for the UAE Special Olympians. There are four other host cities in SLO County — Atascadero, SLO, Pismo, and Arroyo Grande.

With 7,000 athletes and 3,000 coaches, from 177 countries, 30,000 volunteers and an anticipated 500,000 spectators, the 2015 Special Olympics World Games will be the largest sports and humanitarian event anywhere in the world in 2015, and the single biggest event in Los Angeles since the 1984 Summer Olympic Games.

The World Games feature 25 Olympic-style sports in venues throughout the Los Angeles region. The Opening Ceremony on July 25 is in the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, site of the 1932 and 1984 Olympic Games. It is expected to attract 80,000 spectators. ESPN plans to cover the games and broadcast them to the world.

Honorary Chairs of the Games are President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and California Gov. Jerry Brown serving as Honorary Hosts.