Jessie's Blog: MLK & EKS

I was really inspired by Martin Luther King, Jr's speech "I Have a Dream"
and the March on Washington in 1963, 50 years ago. I am impressed by what
has changed in race relations since then, yet I'm saddened by what has not
yet changed.

Another great thing that occurred one year before King's inspiring speech
was the inception of the Special Olympics in Eunice Kennedy Shriver's
backyard. "Camp Shriver" was first hosted there in the summer of 1962.
Eunice had a sister with an intellectual disability and in the late 1950's
and early 60's, she saw little justice in the way people with I.D. were
treated. As an athlete in college, she saw that sports could be a common
ground to unite folks from all walks of life. The idea behind that first
Camp Shriver began to grow, and in July 1968, the first International
Special Olympics Games were held in Chicago, Illinois.

As Special Olympics has developed over the years, there has been more
diversity amongst the athletes, and Special Olympics continues to embrace
these differences that define our athletes. Remember, we are defined by our
ABILITIES, not our disabilities. As Special Olympics continues to grow, and
Eunice's original vision of uniting people from all walks of life is
continually celebrated, we have seen an increase of folks with Developmental
Disabilities among our athletes. There has been a large increase in athletes
who are on the Autism Spectrum, and I am pleased that Special Olympics
includes me, as I'm on the Spectrum. One of my goals as Athlete
Representative is to increase awareness of the fact that Special Olympics is
a great opportunity for people with Developmental Disabilities also.

I encourage you to join me in celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr's and
Eunice Kennedy Shriver's visions of acceptance and inclusivity, and
celebrate YOU and your fellow athletes incredibly diverse talents and
abilities.


Your Lebanon County Athlete Representative, Jessie Salness

Jessie's Blog: Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day

Hello Fellow Athletes!

We soon will be celebrating the 4th Annual Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day on September 28, 2013!  This is an annual celebration of her life and an invitation to celebrate the theme of "Play Unified to Live Unified."  I want to share a little history about Eunice and Special Olympics with you, so you will understand why it is so important to commemorate this amazing woman!

In June of 1962, Eunice started a day camp for children with intellectual disabilities called "Camp Shriver" in the backyard of her home in Potomac, Maryland.  She had an older sister named Rosemary who had an intellectual disability, and in the late 1950's and early 60's, Eunice saw little justice in the way people with ID were treated.  As an athlete in college, she saw that sports could be a common ground to unite folks from all walks of life.  The idea behind that first Camp Shriver began to grow, as Anne McGlone, a physical education teacher and recipient of a Kennedy Foundation grant, also had an idea for a one-time Olympic-style athletic competition for people with special needs.  Burke approached Shriver to fund the event, and Shriver encouraged Burke to expand on the idea.  At the 1968 games held in Chicago, Illinois, Shriver announced the formation of the Special Olympics, and over 1,000 athletes from across the U.S. and Canada participated.

A few Special Olympics milestones to note:

December 1971: The U.S. Olympic Committee gave the Special Olympics official approval to use the name "Olympics."

February 1988: The International Olympic Committee signs a historic agreement with Sargent and Eunice Kennedy Shriver officially endorsing and recognizing Special Olympics.

July 1988: Special Olympics Unified Sports is launched at the annual SO Conference in Reno, Nevada and Lake Tahoe, California.  Bowling, volleyball and softball are the first sports included.  Special Olympics Unified Sports offers the opportunity for people with and without intellectual disabilites to play on the same team.

July 1995:  For the first time, people with ID serve as certified officials.

July 2008:  SO celebrates its 40th anniversary with nearly 3 million athletes in over 180 countries.

May 2009:  The U.S. National Portrait Gallery unveils a historic portrait of Eunice, which is the first portrait the Gallery has ever commissioned of an individual who has not served as a U.S. president or First Lady.

August 2009:  The founder of Special Olympics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, passed away at her family home in Massachusetts.

September 2010:  The first global Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day is held in more than 100 countries to celebrate the vision of the founder of the Special Olympics movement.

I think it is important to celebrate the life of Eunice Kennedy Shriver because of her courage and determination in championing the cause that was not popular or easy given the realities of the day, especially during the 1960's.  She spoke and acted for people who were often not able to speak for themselves, as they did not have the opportunities that we have today.  We have come so far in that we can speak for ourselves, have greater opportunities and rights, especially the right to be included in education and other realms, thanks to people like Eunice Kennedy Shriver.  Special Olympics is in the process of more growth and changes, as we become more athlete-centric and athlete-driven.  Athletes will have more meaningful roles as we increase the level of education to further the Special Olympics athlete-driven mission.  

Join me in spreading the word to celebrate Eunice Kennedy Shriver's life and in remembrance of her on Saturday, September 28th, please take this day to honor the importance of the Special Olympics in your life by celebrating the theme of "Play Unified to Live Unified."

Jessie Salness

Athlete Representative of Lebanon County Special Olympics PA

** Lebanon County will be attending Lebanon Valley College's soccer game on September 21st as part of our EKS plan. Our team will be ball chasers, then at half time will play. There will be a mens and ladies game that day so we will hang out with the teams.  **