ELLIE'S BLOG on Living Well with Disability

The first thing to come to your mind would be the Special Olympics.  And indeed it is she who is responsible for the Special Olympics which is now in 181 countries and has made major contributions to the lives of millions of children who are Mentally Disabled and their families.

Looking back to 1968 when the first Special Olympics Games was held at Soldier Field in Chicago it's growth is phenomenal. In 1968 there were 1000 athletes from 26 US states and Canada. But there was only a crowd of fewer than 100 people watching.  This February in 2009 the Special Olympics World Winter Games were held in Idaho. 2500 athletes from more than 100 countries competed and were cheered on by 30,000 spectators.

Why did Eunice Shriver start the Special Olympics?  Very simply she had a sister who was mentally retarded. She loved her sister and  felt strongly that her sister Rosemary should be doing better. She had visited many mental institutions in the 1950s where people were warehoused like animals. She was horrified at what she saw and knew we should be doing better.  Being an athlete herself and knowing the sense of accomplishment that one can feel when one can do something well she felt it was a natural fit for people who are mentally disabled (mentally retarded).

As she was a woman with a big heart she was determined that everyone who was mentally retarded should have opportunity. And as she was also a formidably strong determined woman there was no stopping her!

She  originally started working with neighbors and local school children by doing a camp in her back yard. Every time she saw the joy and the sense of pride that these children showed it urged her on to expand the program which she certainly did. 

But her commitment was not just limited to the Special Olympics events. Her journey to be a champion of the mentally disabled started with her written article on Mental Retardation in the Saturday Evening Post. This article is widely credited with awakening us to the social stigma associated with mental retardation. In this article she discusses her family's coping with her sister Rosemary who was mentally retarded. And how this led the Kennedys to establish a Kennedy Foundation. This Foundation which she ran for many years established the building of centers for the mentally retarded.Centers for the care of retarded children, centers for diagnosis and treatment of the condition and research centers to understand the causes were all built across this country. This article is a "must read". http://www.eunicekennedyshriver.org/articles/saturday_evening_post

Eunice Shriver was definitely instrumental in President Kennedy establishing A Panel On Mental Retardation in 1962 . She was also in the oval office in 1963 when President Kennedy signed the civil service regulations making it easier for people with intellectual disabilities to work.  She has followed and been involved behind the scenes on all of the Disability Laws since that time making sure that mental retardation was also included as appropriate.

The two watershed laws that were enacted that are changing the life for the disabled were : The Education For All Handicapped Children Act in 1975 and The Americans With Disability Act in 1990 . Both of these together greatly expand the rights of all those who are Disabled .

Have you ever attended a Special Olympics event? These events are held in both winter and summer in communities all over our country. If you have an opportunity to attend one be sure you do. As you watch  you will see something dramatically transforming these  young people and those watching them.

Watch closley those who have been labeled unfortunate,handicapped,disabled or challenged perform in their event.  As you watch The Event and look at them I think you'll see something else.  You'll see what Eunice Kennedy Shriver saw , the joy of an athlete working to the of most of their ability.

Below are pictures of  our local community's Special Olympics Winter Event at the Spa Park in Saratoga Springs. 

I I believe Eunice Shriver's legacy will continue to live on in the Special Olympics as well  as increased opportunities for the mentally disabled to participate in a fuller life in our community's.  So do those who are participating in the fund raising run for the Special Olympics down my street every August. 

The athletic ones

-the youngsters

-mothers pushing strollers

and the Elders

 Thank you Eunice Kennedy Shriver               Ellie

for more information on Mrs. Shriver and The Special Olympics go to :

http://www.eunicekennedyshriver.org/bios/si