Show Support For Michigan Olympian Sheila Taormina

Proud Michigander, and friend of BMN, Sheila Taormina is on her way to Beijing!  Sheila began her Olympic career by swimming her way to gold as the third leg on the 800-freestyle relay team in Atlanta back in 1996.  She then changed sports, and four years later represented the U.S.A. in the triathalon at the Sydney Games and again in Athens, Greece.  Now in 2008, Sheila, in an unprecedented feat, has switched sports again and is poised to become the first person in U.S. history to compete in the Olympic Games in three separate sports.  Her newest sport is modern pentathlon, a demanding combination of pistol shooting, epee fencing, swimming, equestrian show jumping, and cross-country running, all within a single day.  It is Sheila's dream to share this historic moment in China with her family, which is of course, a costly proposition, especially in this challenging economy.

To help fund family travel, Sheila's sister , Sudee, has designed a creative and stunning T-shirt in her sister's honor.  The design of the shirt has many unique features including the flags of the four countries that hosted the Olympics in which Sheila competed.  They are a backdrop within the design, which also includes all five sports of the modern pentathlon.  Of special note is the dual positioning of the fencer's bell-guard as the target for the shooter.  The shirts are available for only $20 and are a great way to show appreciation and support to Sheila for a lifetime of showcasing hard work, determination, and stamina...values upon which Michigan is built. 

To learn more about Sheila and her Olympic journey visit her website at  http://www.sheilat.com/,  or go directly to  http://sheilat.amazonwebstore.com/  to purchase T-shirts to help send Sheila's family to Beijing to witness her monumental achievement. 

Then, put on your T-shirt, gather your friends, and visit a locally-owned sports bar or restaurant to cheer on all of Michigan's Olympians during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games August 8th-24th.