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Team USA Visits The White House

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September 14, 2012

Washington DC

The USA Olympic and Paralympic Team visited the White House and met with The President, Vice President and First Lady.

We, Debbie and I (Molly), arrived in DC last night for the Team USA Athlete Celebration. We met up with the other US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider members at our hotel before boarding a bus to Union Station. The USOC and BP hosted a Congressional Reception where all of the athletes were able to meet their State's Congressional Representatives, share some stories and enjoy some food. After dinner, the food was removed and the dance floor came out. Most of the athletes stayed to enjoy a party hosted by all of the Olympic Team's sponsors. Pictures, videos and music from the Games were everywhere. Lots of relaxed, happy athletes reminiscing on their time in London, and the brief time they have had at home. Some of the Paralympic team members had only been back for a day or two!

This morning everyone made it to the buses at 6:40 to be shuttled to the White House for a "Welcome Home and Thank You" from The President and Michelle Obama. The team arrived around 8:30am and were able to cruise the South Lawn and have coffee and pastries. They slowly organized all of us around 9am for the President's arrival at 10. Michelle Obama said a big thank you to all of us for what we have done and how we have helped inspire so many youth to dream big. She then introduced the President, who thanked us for being good representatives of our sports and our country, and mentioned how we inspired him to run faster on his treadmill every morning! He then happily asked the Marine Band to play the Olympic theme. The President, First Lady and Joe Biden stayed out on the South Lawn until they had interacted with each and every member of Team USA. It was such an honor to have them invite us to their home, and to give up so much of their time. Mariel Zagunis and Lt. Brad Snyder, the Flag Bearers for the Olympic and Paralympic Team, presented the President with the U.S. flag used throughout the Games. Brad gave a very touching speech of being able to serve his country again after being blinded in battle last year in Afghanistan. Truly a great representative of the Olympic Spirit.

We headed home this afternoon to get back to our families and jobs. Team Maclaren will meet next at St. Francis Yacht Club for the US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider Annual Awards Dinner in November. Thank you for all of your support.

Go Team USA!

Molly

Team Maclaren

...Passion

...Progression

...Perfection ^TM

Team Member

Anna: "To achieve our goals, we need 4D's:

Dream, Desire, Dedication, Discipline" ^TM

Olympic Gold Medalist, World Class Woman Laser Radial Sailor And Now World Class Women's Match Racer

Representing the USA, Anna Tunnicliffe won the Gold Medal in the Women's Laser Radial dinghy at the 2008 Olympic Games in Qingdao, China. Anna was the ISAF world's Number One-ranked women's Radial sailor from April 9, 2008 to May 2010. She was voted 2009 & 2011 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year. Now Anna, skipper of Team Maclaren, has teamed up with Molly O'Bryan Vandemoer and Debbie Capozzi to take on the world and go for Gold in 2012 London Olympic Games in Women's Match Racing and the team is currently ranked #1 in the ISAF WMR rankings.

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