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Paul Marretti, 30, is extremely involved in Special Olympics as an athlete, advocate and ambassador. He began in the program in 1992, as a basketball player. Since then, he has trained and competed in softball, golf, bowling, tennis, football, volleyball, alpine skiing, and aquatics.
He served in the Sargent Shriver International Global Messenger Class of 2002-2004, at which time he also served on the Special Olympics Virginia Board of Directors, and its Program & Planning Committee.
During his tenure as a Sargent Shriver International Global Messenger, Marretti traveled to Peru as a presenter at the Latin America Leadership Conference, and was a speaker at the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Ireland. He also made numerous other speeches and presentations during that time. He has served on two Global Athlete Task Forces — in Austin Texas (2003) and Panama (2005), as well as being a delegate at the 2005 Global Athlete Congress in Panama.
An avid advocate for persons with disabilities, Paul has served on the board of the Virginia Chapter of People First from 2000-2001, where he is still a member of the organization. He has also earned the honor of being a Fourth Degree Knight with the Knights of Columbus.
He lives independently in Richmond, Virginia USA, and is employed by Kroger Supermarket. In 2005, he was awarded a Regional Customer Service Award by Kroger.
Paul regularly lobbies on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC as well as with the Virginia General Assembly for support for the Special Olympics movement.
In 2004, Marretti was chosen as the first Special Olympics athlete ever to receive the Virginia H. Foster Award — the highest award presented by Special Olympics Virginia.
In 2006, Marretti was honored by having his profile published, alongside that of Babe Ruth, John F. Kennedy, Vince Lombardi, Sargent Shriver, and others, in By Their Works, Profiles of Men of Faith Who Have Made a Difference.
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