U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for Feb. 12

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090226/CENSUSLOGO)

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12: WINTER OLYMPICS

Profile America — Friday, February 12th.  The Winter Olympics open today in Vancouver, British Columbia, bringing the world's top winter athletes together for the 21st time. The U.S. hosted the winter games the first time in 1932 at Lake Placid, New York, at the time, the only site in the U.S. with a bobsled run. Because of the Depression only 16 nations sent athletes to compete. Americans won all four speed skating events and both bobsled gold medals. Lake Placid hosted the Winter Olympics again in 1980, marked by the surprise win of the U.S. hockey team over the Soviets. Ice hockey is played by more than 2 million Americans each year, and over 12 million enjoy alpine or cross-country skiing and snowboarding.  You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, conducting the 2010 Census beginning April 1st.

Sources:  Chase's Calendar of Events 2010, p. 129

Statistical Abstract of the United States 2010, t. 1212

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look under the "Newsroom" button).  

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau