Please consider this message an open invitation. It is no secret that the 2028 Summer Olympics will take place in the greater Los Angeles region from July 14 – July 30, followed by the Paralympics from Aug. 13 – 27. That is less than two years away and its due time for Seal Beach to plan for what our role might look like with games in neighboring cities. For instance, 11 Olympic sporting events will be hosted next door, by the city of Long Beach. What does this mean for us?
To answer that question and more, a Citizen-Council Olympic Ad Hoc Committee has formed as part of the city of Seal Beach Strategic Plan. This joint Committee is composed of Mayor Lisa Landau, Councilwoman Patty Senecal, Deputy Director of Community Services Tim Kelsey and 10 community members. Offering prominent levels of expertise, those appointed citizen members include Christine Bird (vice-chair), Darin Detwiler, Sherri Drum, Rick Lee, Evan Moore, Rich Phee, Catherine Showalter (chair), Lars Thorn, Margo Wheeler, and Lynette Van Voris. We are all at the table to help plan for our city’s involvement in participating in the Olympic environment. We need your help.
Seal Beach Olympic Committee meetings take place on the third Tuesday of each month in Council Chambers. They are open to the public. At the Aug. 18 meeting, a Mission Statement was adopted to focus our efforts. It reads “Create a legacy by making the LA28 Olympic & Paralympic experience positive, enjoyable, and successful for Seal Beach residents, guests, and businesses.” Four Subcommittees formed to meet specific objectives: 1) Events, 2) Marketing and Communications, 3) Partnerships and Community Relations, and 4) Housing and Transportation (Mobility).
Help wanted! The idea of involving prior and current Olympians and Paralympians in our city events has bubbled to the surface as a high priority. We would like to include such athletes in planning pre-Olympic festivities beginning in 2026 so they can tell their stories. Age is not a factor. It makes no difference whether their sport competitions are in summer or winter. Parents or siblings of the Olympic athletes might also share behind the scenes experiences. If you have such contact information or would like to participate in one of the Subcommittees, please reach out to Tim Kelsey at tk*****@*********ca.gov.
The Olympics Committee will meet again on Tuesday, Sept. 15 from 6–8 p.m. I will be sharing specific program ideas and reporting progress at the City Council meeting on Monday, Sept. 29. Other Committee members will be present. You are most welcome to attend, introduce yourself, offer comments, and make suggestions. Thank you.
Catherine Showalter is chair of the Citizen-Council Olympic Ad Hoc Committee.