BOISE - Organizers of the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games are confident they can raise about $32 million necessary to stage the seven-day event for disabled athletes this February in Boise, McCall and Sun Valley, despite uncertainty over the national and state economies.

Bruce Schrepple, the organization's chief financial officer, says $23 million has been raised or pledged so far in cash and in-kind contributions, with about half from the state and federal governments.

Another $4 million has been verbally committed and Schrepple says he is talking with potential donors for up to $4 million more.

The Special Olympics World Winter Games were first held in 1977 in Colorado for athletes with intellectual disabilities and have been held every four years since, with the last event in Nagano, Japan, in 2005.

Organizers in Idaho are still hoping to sign up more than 4,000 volunteers, including translators for athletes and their families.