"I like to be with my special friends, and I like to learn from them.
I learn persistence, I learn guts, I learn courage. This is the future."
~Eunice Kennedy Shriver
Conclusion
Eunice Kennedy Shriver predicted that someday there would be one million athletes competing in the Special Olympics. It started with 1,000 athletes from 26 different states and Canada; today there are three million athletes participating in 50 states and 181 countries. These athletes train year-round for the Special Olympics (McCallum). Over the years, Special Olympics has added many programs, including Families, Coaches, Young Athletes, Volunteer for Special Olympics, Project UNIFY, Professional Opportunities, Law Enforcement Torch Run, Health Programs, and R-Word Campaign. "With sports at the core, Special Olympics has grown to be a movement that is not just about the largest disability population in the world, but about all of us." ("Benefits of Special Olympics")
"We're volunteers and builders of communities, reaching and helping people who would
otherwise be forgotten in some of the most neglected areas of the world." ("Sport Teaches")
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"Most importantly, we're also a catalyst
for social change because once you see what our athletes are capable of, you start to lose your preconceptions ." ("Sport Teaches")
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"They changed not only the United States, but the entire world
for those with intellectual disabilities."
~Maria Shriver
for those with intellectual disabilities."
~Maria Shriver
("A Legacy of Hope")