Political Quotes

“today I want to say a few words about a special anniversary. Earlier this month, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the very first Special Olympic Games, which took place at Soldier Field in Chicago, IL. The Special Olympics didn't just give people a chance to compete; it gave them a chance to come out of the shadows. It is hard to imagine, but before the Special Olympics, people with intellectual disabilities were offered little education and oftentimes were left in isolation and despair. Thankfully, Eunice Shriver shared the compassion and vision to create these games, but I want to talk about someone whose role in the games creation is often overlooked: Illinois Supreme Court justice and my friend, Anne Burke. Before becoming a justice on Illinois' Supreme Court, Anne was a physical education teacher. She had an idea to create a summer jamboree where kids with special needs could compete in an athletic competition at Soldier Field, just like other children who attended day camps across the State of Illinois. So Anne took that idea to Washington, DC, and Eunice Shriver. What did Eunice Shriver say to Anne's proposal? Unacceptable. It was simply too small. Eunice decided it needed to be bigger. With Eunice's help, Anne returned home to Chicago, rewrote the proposal, and made it a national Olympic program. Eunice joined Anne in Chicago on July 20, 1968, and they celebrated the first Special Olympic Games.…”