The Montgomery County Sports Hall of Fame (MCSHF), which will induct the six new members in its Class of 2025 on Sunday, May 4, has announced that its first “Lifetime Achievement Award” will be presented posthumously that day to Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who in 1962 founded Special Olympics on the grounds of her Rockville home. The ceremonies will be held at 4 p.m. on May 4 at the Silver Spring Civic Building in Downtown Silver Spring.
In 1957, Mrs. Shriver assumed leadership over the Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation, which aims to seek the prevention of intellectual disability by identifying its causes, and to improve how society engages with citizens who have intellectual disabilities. In her role, Eunice organized the development of the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development in 1962, the creation of major centers for the study of medical ethics at Harvard and Georgetown universities and pioneered the “Community of Caring” concept as a character-education program for teens.
“Our mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, was a pioneer in the worldwide struggle for rights and acceptance for people with intellectual disabilities,” said her son, Mark Shriver, who will be accepting the award on behalf of the Shriver family. “In 1962, she first invited young people with intellectual disabilities to a summer day camp she hosted in her backyard, right here in Maryland. Known as ‘Camp Shriver,’ the initiative developed to become Special Olympics—the world’s largest sports movement for people with intellectual disabilities. On behalf of my siblings and myself, I will be honored to accept the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Montgomery County Sports Hall of Fame at the birthplace of her vision for equality, equity and dignity for a community that had been marginalized for far too long.”
Special Olympics now has more than four million athletes and Unified Sports® partners and one million coaches and volunteers in 200 countries. It delivers more than 30 Olympic-type sports and nearly 50,000 games and competitions every year.
“The Montgomery County Sports Hall of Fame is intent on honoring all those who have contributed to the great sports history of our County, whether as athletes, coaches or those in roles that have enabled these people to succeed. Recognizing disabled athletes and their coaches, such as those who participate in Special Olympics, is part of our mission,” said MCSHF Board of Directors Chair Bob Milloy. “We have established a ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ that each year will honor people who dedicated a large portion of their lives toward making sports an important part of other people’s lives. I cannot think of a better recipient of our first Lifetime Achievement Award than Eunice Kennedy Shriver.”
Special Olympics Maryland (SOMD) is a year-round sports organization dedicated to providing sports training and competition opportunities to more than 25,000 athletes and Unified teammates with intellectual disabilities and/or closely related development disabilities. SOMD currently provides thousands of sports experiences annually for athletes statewide, and offers 27 sports—all at no cost to the athletes or their families.
“Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s induction into the Montgomery County Sports Hall of Fame is a well-deserved tribute to her vision of using sports to transform lives and promote inclusion through Special Olympics. A fierce competitor and advocate, she fought to ensure dignity and respect for individuals with intellectual disabilities,” said Jim Schmutz, president and CEO of Special Olympics Maryland. “Montgomery County, the birthplace of Special Olympics, played a key role in her mission. At Timberlawn in Rockville, she hosted camps showcasing the abilities of individuals with intellectual disabilities, laying the foundation for a global movement. Today, Special Olympics remains deeply rooted in community programs like Special Olympics Montgomery County, where over 500 athletes thrive—an enduring legacy of Mrs. Shriver’s impact.”
Leave a Reply