New Exhibit Honors Special Olympics Founder

Eunice Kennedy Shriver last visited the Special Olympics New Jersey (SONJ) sports complex on Princess Road in Lawrence Township in 2007, but her presence was palpable there on Saturday (Sept. 24) as athletes and volunteers gathered to honor her memory.

Shriver – President John F. Kennedy’s sister – founded the Special Olympics in 1968. Throughout her life, she championed opportunities for the disabled. After she died in 2009, Special Olympics declared Sept. 24 to be “Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day.”

Special Olympics New Jersey and Best Buddies celebrated the occasion Saturday with games, the dedication of an exhibit honoring Shriver, and the rededication of a patio at the sports complex.

“I worked with (Shriver) in Washington. She was remarkable,” said Marc Edenzon, president of Special Olympics New Jersey. “She demanded excellence and superior programs.”

Firmly believing everyone should be afforded opportunities for growth, Shriver encouraged people with intellectual disabilities to train and compete in Olympic-type sports. When she visited SONJ in Lawrence in 2007, she wanted to ensure the facility’s offerings aided that mission.

She found a campus bustling with activity.  As the official training center of SONJ, the sports complex offers training for 24 Olympic-type sports.

These include bocce, basketball and snowshoeing – three events in which 25-year-old Lawrence resident Lisa Kmiec competes.

During Saturday’s three-hour event, Kmiec lobbed balls onto the Astroturf bocce court and sang the praises of the Special Olympics.

“We get to do different things that I’ve never done before,” Kmiec said.

She’s not sure how long she’s been active in Special Olympics events but it’s been “a long time,” she said with a grin.

Dozens of other athletes joined Kmiec to play bocce, basketball, soccer and volleyball outside. Youngsters, meanwhile, hopped over obstacles and helped hoist a colorful parachute inside the complex gym.

Best Buddies and Special Olympics volunteers were invited to take part in the activities.

“I think it’s a great opportunity to participate and get a sense of community,” said Joe Talarico, 46, of Montgomery.

Talarico and his son Matt, 13, have volunteered with Special Olympics for about two years, by Matt’s count. On Saturday, they came out to play soccer.

They were also present at the dedication of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver exhibit, a small gallery of photos, medals and memorabilia that honor Shriver’s life.

The exhibit is nestled in the corner of the Walsh Sports Education and Family Center. The makeshift library houses a collection of books about disabilities for families to peruse.

Among the photos in the exhibit are images of Shriver shaking hands with Presidents George W. Bush, Ronald Reagan and Lyndon Johnson. One photo shows her posing with Nelson Mandela. Gold plaques inscribed with Shriver’s quotes dot the walls.

One of those plaques reads: “Special Olympics athletes are spokespersons for freedom itself.”

Shriver predicted in 1968 that one million athletes would one day compete in the Special Olympics. By 2008, more than three million were training for the games. More than 22,000 of those athletes train in New Jersey and take advantage of the sports camps, fitness programs and other training offered at the SONJ’s facility in Lawrence.

For more information about Special Olympics New Jersey, visit www.sonj.org.