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Home , Anthony Shriver, Betty Ford, Maria Shriver, Sally Ride, Timothy Shriver

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Special Olympics Founder receives Minerva Lifetime Achievement Award at prestigious Women’s Conference

Washington, DC, 24 October 2007 – Founder and Honorary Chairperson Eunice Kennedy Shriver received the Minerva Award for Lifetime Achievement in a special ceremony at the Governor and First Lady’s Conference on Women. The ceremony was held in Long Beach, California, on 23 October in front of an audience of more than 14,000 people. Shriver was nominated by the 21-member Minerva Nominating Committee for her tireless efforts to improve the lives of people with intellectual disabilities.

“When Eunice Kennedy Shriver began the Special Olympics movement over 40 years ago, she envisioned an organization that would not only improve the quality of life for people with intellectual disabilities through sports training and competition, but also one that would change entire communities who were touched by the Special Olympics spirit,” said Special Olympics Chairman of his mother.

“Her generosity of spirit is boundless, her grace is extraordinary, and she has brought unparalleled hope and unprecedented opportunity to literally millions of persons throughout the world,” said Senator Edward M. Kennedy, to Eunice Shriver.

While her work with Special Olympics is her legacy, Shriver’s influence has been felt across many charitable entities. She was the driving force behind President John F. Kennedy's creation of the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development in 1962; helped reform Civil Service regulations to require persons with intellectual disabilities to be hired on the basis of their overall ability, rather than just their test scores; established major centers for the study of medical ethics at Harvard University and ; and founded "Community of Caring," a character education program adopted by more than 1,200 public and private schools throughout the nation. She also serves as Executive Vice President of the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation and is on the Board of Directors for Best Buddies, a nonprofit organization founded by her son, , in 1989.

Shriver is the recipient of numerous awards and honors for her work in founding Special Olympics, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the ' highest civilian award, and a World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame's Founder's Award.

Joining Shriver in being honored at the Women’s Conference Minerva Awards were the Honorable , Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, San Francisco, California; Sweet Alice Harris, Founder and Executive Director of Parents of Watts, Watts, California; Commander Maureen Pennington, Senior Nurse Executive, United States Naval Medical Center, , California; and Christy Potter, Founder and Executive Director of Hidden Harvest, Coachella Valley, California.

About Special Olympics Special Olympics is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering individuals with intellectual disabilities to become physically fit, productive and respected members of society through sports training and competition. Founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and competition to 2.5 million adults and children with intellectual disabilities across 165 countries. The Special Olympics movement offers one of the world's greatest platforms for acceptance and inclusion for all people--regardless of race, religion, ethnicity or cultural differences. Find out how you can Be a Fan and visit www.specialolympics.org.

About the California Governor and First Lady’s Conference on Women Created by California First Lady in 2004, “The Women’s Conference” is the largest and most dynamic one-day gathering of women in the United States. Recognized for its unparalleled capacity to inspire and empower women to become architects of change, the annual conference unites more than 60 leaders with 14,000 women in one arena, plus thousands more virtually, to share enriching stories of transformation and success, words of encouragement, and life lessons. The nonprofit, nonpartisan women’s conference has grown from a California government initiative for working professionals into a life-changing experience and national network of women from all walks of life, backgrounds and perspectives. Its thriving online community and year–round programs make The Women’s Conference an ongoing source of support, inspiration and motivation for the tens of thousands it has touched. For more information on The Women’s Conference or the Minerva Awards, please go to www.californiawomen.org.

About the Minerva Awards Created by Maria Shriver in 2004, the Minerva Awards have become the most prestigious awards for women in the United States. Named for the Roman goddess Minerva, who graces the California State Seal, the awards annually honor remarkable women who, in the spirit of Minerva, changed the state and nation with their courage, strength and wisdom. Shriver sought this year to pay tribute to women who are building a legacy and “passing it on” to others. The Minerva Award winners are nominated by the Minerva Nominating Committee, a formal body of 21 geographically, ethnically and professionally diverse women who work together to research and vet potential candidates. Shriver selects the winners from the slate of candidates put forth by the committee. Past award recipients have included former First Lady (’05), Olympian Anitade Frantz (’05), (’06), criminal justice champion Dr. Mimi Silbert (’04) and family literacy pioneer, Sister Jennie Lechtenberg (’05).

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************************************************************** Shavonne P. Harding Manager, Media and Public Relations Special Olympics International 1133 19th Street, NW 12th Floor Washington, DC USA 20036 (202) 824-0201(office) (202) 824-0354 (fax) [email protected]