It started with Eunice Kennedy Shriver… Back in 1962, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, John F. Kennedy’s younger sister, began a day camp at her home for those with intellectual disabilities. Known as Camp Shriver, it hosted 35 children. It became an annual event and also grew in scope, thanks to the Kennedy Foundation, which provided grants for others who wanted to provide similar camps. By 1969, there were more than 30 camps serving 10,000 kids. The year prior, on July 20, 1968, Shriver opened the Chicago Special Olympics, a first-of-its-kind competition with 1,000 athletes from across the country and Canada.
and continued this week with the USA National Games … That first competition would grow, and soon offer both summer and winter competitions. The 2007 World Summer Games brought more than 7,000 participants to Shanghai from over 160 countries, while the 2009 World Winter Games in Idaho, had more than 100 nations participating, as around 2,500 athletes competed. In 2006, a new competition began, called the USA National Games, which took place in Ames, Iowa, with more than 3,000 athletes from all 50 states. This past week, that tradition continued in Lincoln, Neb., at the 2010 USA National Games, with a range of sports, from aquatics and bocce to powerlifting and volleyball. Today is the last day, and you can see a schedule here, with events that are free and open to the public.
… a competition that’s even gone green. And as a sign of the times we live in, the competition is doing its part for the environment. With assistance from partners like Walmart, the greening efforts include limiting the use of paper materials, having recycling bins placed at all the venues and Walmart providing the 8,000 volunteers with organic T-shirts. Just another inspirational move by an organization that’s been inspiring people for nearly 50 years.
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Photo courtesy of USA National Games.