UB Names Park In Honor of 20,000 Volunteers

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Every university in the U.S. has a building named after an important benefactor.

Only the University at Buffalo can boast of a park named in honor of 20,000 volunteers.

In a ceremony held before the Buffalo Bulls-Towson State football game on Oct. 23, the university named the park at the main entrance to its new stadium in honor of the 20,000 local volunteers who assisted during the World University Games Buffalo '93, held July 8-18.

Volunteers were invited to the football game as guests of the university and, as they did in the Games' closing ceremonies held in the stadium, those on hand marched into the stadium and around its track before taking their seats for the football game.

The 18,000-seat, $22 million stadium, built by New York State for the Games, was the site of the international track-and-field competition, as well as the closing ceremony.

The UB Council approved a resolution to name the park in honor of the Games volunteers on the recommendation of UB President William R. Greiner.

Greiner noted that "UB was proud to be a part of these very special 10 days in our community's history, proud to join in welcoming our international guests, and very proud to see so many friends and neighbors showing the world what a caring and generous community we live in.

"It is only fitting," he added, "that we should remember the Games volunteers by naming the park at the entrance to the UB stadium in their honor. By giving so much of themselves to the Games, the volunteers exemplified UB's highest ideals of service in support of talent, achievement and human possibility."

UB's Amherst Campus was the major site for competition during the Games, which were held July 8-18 and attracted 3,619 athletes from 117 countries. It was the first time in their 70-year history that the Games were held in the United States.