North Carolina is hosting the largest sporting event in the world. The Special Olympics International World Games will take place in Raleigh from June 26 to July 4, and approximately 7,000 athletes from 150 countries and territories will travel to compete in 19 sporting events.

Before the competition begins in the Research Triangle area, cities and towns across the state will welcome coaches, athletes and other members of the visiting delegations through a Host Town Program.

Seven Rowan County communities will host 149 visitors from six countries, according to Renita Ritchie, supervisor for special populations with the county’s Parks and Recreation Program and a member of the Rowan County Host Town Committee.

Athletes will begin to arrive on June 20 and stay until June 25, getting acclimated to the weather and meeting plenty of Rowan residents.

‘‘Anybody interested in watching the practices are invited to come out and be huggers and clappers and provide moral support,’’ Ritchie said. ‘‘If they speak any of these languages, we welcome them. I don’t speak too much Russian or Portuguese myself.’’

Salisbury will host athletes from Jamaica. Spencer and Rockwell will combine to welcome those from Azerbaijan, a former republic of the Soviet Union, and Faith will host those from Armenia, next door to Azerbaijan. Both countries are in the southwestern part of the former Soviet Union.

Granite Quarry will host athletes from Bonaire, an island off the coast of Brazil. Landis will entertain citizens of the Isle of Man, located in the middle of the Irish Sea near Great Britain, and China Grove will host guests from French Guinea.

Athletes will fly into Raleigh on June 20, get their credentials and then travel to their host cities.

Catawba College is providing Abernethy Hall for lodging and will give the athletes the option of eating breakfast and lunch in the cafeteria, unless they make other plans.

Practices are scheduled from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, at six different places around the county, including:

• Catawba, football/soccer, track and field and aquatics.
• Knox Middle School, cycling and long jump.
• American Stars Gymnastics and cheerleading facility, gymnastics.
• Ellis park, boccie (an Italian game similar to lawn bowling).
• Woodleaf Lanes, bowling.
• YMCA, volleyball, basketball and power lifting.
• Kate’s Skating Rink, roller skating.

Other fun activities and practices are scheduled all over the county, but organizers say they need an estimated $6,000 to pay for food and activities.

Though Catawba has donated lodging for visitors, for instance, bed linen service costs $10 per person, and breakfast and lunch cost at least $7 a day per person. There’s also the expense of transporting athletes to and from practices and events in Raleigh.

‘‘We don’t want to leave a bad taste in anybody’s mouth, especially for those who have been supportive,’’ Ritchie said. ‘‘We want to have the money and be able to write a check when the money is due. So we are attempting to make a public appeal.

‘‘It’s not just about the money, we would like people to come out and meet our athletes. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. ... It would be great if we could find some people who could communicate and speak their language. The athletes would get a hoot out of that. The cultural exchange is going to be wonderful.’’

Plenty of Rowan volunteers are pitching in. Judy Newman, of the Convention and Visitors Bureau, chairs the local Host Town Program, and Ritchie and Linda Broadway, of the YMCA, serve as co-chairs of the sports practice committee. Gail Elder White, director of Salisbury’s parks department, will chair activities, while Bob Casmus is handling medical concerns, Pat Whitley heads up housing and Liz Tennent organizes transportation.

Rowan County EMS and Rowan Rescue Squad will provide first aid and CPR at all places which don’t have trained people on site. Members of Catawba’s Sports Medicine Department and the Rowan Regional Medical Center Caravan will be at Catawba each day.

Special events have been scheduled all week, starting June 22 with a big evening at Dan Nicholas Park, a cookout sponsored by Granite Quarry Civitans and a dance and D.J. In case of bad weather, a carnival and dance will be held at the Salisbury Civic Center.

The visitors will enjoy a Boll Weevils game and pizza party, as well as attend a Special Olympics Torch Run Ceremony at 2:30 p.m. June 23, followed by a train ride, museum tour and a dinner sponsored by the Spencer Civitans. Each Host Town will also sponsor its own events.

‘‘Our athletes have gone to all kinds of places in the past and we’ll support the games with just as much enthusiasm as we always have,’’ Ritchie said.