Tribute To Sarah Groff True

Appears At Village Entrances

Celebration For Local Hero Planned Day Of Event

COOPERSTOWN – The Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce will host an Olympic Watch Party at Chamber member, Hardball Café, beginning at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, August 20 beginning at 9:30 a.m. to root on local hero, Sarah True during the Olympic Triathlon in Rio de Janeiro.

Hardball Café on Cooperstown’s Main Street will offer appetizers, drink specials from local producers, face painting, door prizes provided by Sarah’s official sponsors, and free T-shirts to the first 75 people who attend.   And big TV sets will be tuned to the Games for the entire race.  Attendees are encourage to wear red, white and blue.

Sarah Groff True, daughter of Jeannine and Gerald of Cooperstown, grew up swimming and competing at the Clark Sports Center.  She attended CCS where she ran cross country and track, and swam on the boy’s swim team, (as the school did not have a girl’s team at the time.)  At 14 years old, she swam the length of Otsego Lake.  Following her sophomore year, she transferred to Deerfield Academy before attending Middlebury College.  In 2012, while competing in the Olympic Games in London, finished in fourth place, falling 10 seconds short of the podium.

“It is a once in a lifetime event when a small community like Cooperstown produces an Olympic athlete,” said Matthew Hazzard, Executive Director of the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce.  “We as a community want to celebrate her achievements and come together to hopefully cheer her on to an Olympic medal.  We are grateful that Hardball Café is willing to host this great community event.”

Following the race, Bourbon and Branch will play live music in Pioneer Park as part of the Music on Main program presented by the Chamber and the Village of Cooperstown.