Timothy Shriver (Submitted photo)
Timothy Shriver, chairman of the Special Olympics, will be the keynote speaker for the Fourth Annual Spring Fundraiser for the Emory Valley Center. The fundraiser is scheduled for Friday, April 28.
In the 1950s and early 1960s, Dr. Shriver’s mother, Eunice Shriver, saw how unfairly people with intellectual disabilities were being treated. She also noticed that many children with intellectual disabilities didn’t even have a place to play, so she took action and planned a backyard summer camp for them which focused on their abilities. Over the years, the movement grew and in 1968, the first International Special Olympics Summer Games were held in Chicago, a press release said.
Special Olympics are now a global movement and the latest census numbers show Special Olympics has expanded its reach to more than 4.5 million athletes worldwide, the press release said. Special Olympics have been changing lives and attitudes since 1968, almost 50 years.
As keynote speaker, Dr. Shriver will share his personal journey and relationships with people that have intellectual and developmental disabilities, his work with Special Olympics, and insights from his book “Fully Alive—Discovering What Matters Most,” the press release said.
Community partners who have already committed as sponsors for this special EVC fundraising event include: TNBank, an anonymous donor in honor of The Knights of Columbus Council 3175 and St. Vincent DePaul Society of St. Mary’s Church, Strata-G, Leidos, Fox Toyota, Pinnacle Bank, Y-12 Federal Credit Union, and The Oak Ridger. If you are interested in sponsoring this very special event, please contact Janet Wood, vice president of community engagement, at janet.wood@emoryvalleycenter.com.
Ticket sales for this event are scheduled to begin in February.
Emory Valley Center has been supporting people with intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities in the community for 61 years. The agency currently provides a comprehensive array of educational, vocational, residential and rehabilitation services, programs, and support on a monthly basis to more than 1,200 children, adults, and families in 16 East Tennessee counties.
To learn more about Emory Valley Center and its programs and services, please visit www.emoryvalleycenter.org and like the organization on Facebook at www.facebook.com/emoryvalleycenter.
More information will be added as it becomes available.
This press release was submitted by Janet Wood.
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