3/9/75 - Kennedy Center (Cancelled)” of the Sheila Weidenfeld Files at the Gerald R
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The original documents are located in Box 4, folder “3/9/75 - Kennedy Center (cancelled)” of the Sheila Weidenfeld Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. Copyright Notice The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald R. Ford donated to the United States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections. Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. Some items in this folder were not digitized because it contains copyrighted materials. Please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library for access to these materials. THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGT01'4 January 30, 1975 MEMORA...'l'DUM FOR: JAMES CAVANAUGH FRON: SUSAN PORTER Mrs. Ford will serve this year as Honorary Patroness of the Fourth International Special Olympics Games to be held August 7-11 in Michigan. These, as you know, are the olympics for the mentally retarded children sponsored by the Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation. Mrs. Ford and the President have also been invited to attend the special benefit evening being planned }larch 9th at the Kennedy Center. There will be two major parts to the eve~ing. The first is a live, hour-long television show over ABC with various stars (Barbra Streisand, Omar Sharif, James Caan, Frank Gifford, etc.) and several minutes of demonstrating the athletic abilities of mentally retarded children. Dick Cavett is the "M. c. II The second part of the evening will consist of a Special Olympic World Premier of Barbra Streisand's new film, 11Funny Lady". (This film, incidentally, has been selected to be shown to the Queen of England.) Although Mrs. Ford has specifically stated her special interest in the mentally retarded, particularly mentally retarded children and has agreed to serve as Honorary Patroness of the Special Olympics, I wanted to solicite your views about the President and Mrs. Ford's participation in this evening. Thank you so much. c: Warren Rustand Ronald Nessen ..-"Sheila Weidenfeld Digitized from Box 4 of the Sheila Weidenfeld Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library ' THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON January 30, 1975 MEMORAl.'tlJUM FOR: RONALD NESSEN FROM: SUSAN PORTER Mrs. Ford has received the attached invitation for the evening of Sunday, March 9th, to attend a benefit evening at the Kennedy Center on behalf of the Special Olympics, the domestic olympics sponsored by the Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation for mentally retarded children. Mrs. Ford has publicly stated a special interest in mentally retarded children and is Honorary Patroness of those Olympics which will be held in August in Michigan. The plans for the evening are as follows: 7:15 Reception. 7:30 Hour-long, live television show over the A.BC network. Barbra Streisand, Omar Sharif, James Caan, Frank Gifford, etc. will appear. There will also be several minutes demonstrating the athletic abilities of mentally retarded children who have participated in the Special Olympics. Dick Cavett is the "M.• C. 11 8:30-8:45 15 minute break. 8:45-11:00 The Special Olympics World Premier of Barbra Streisand's new film, "Funny Lady" will be shown. 11:15 Brief reception hosted by the Iranian Ambassador. Ford has indicated she and the President would be interested in at the evening but becore setting this up firmly, Warren Rustand and I wanted to solicite your thoughts about how best this could be handled. Thank you. c: Warren Rustand James Cavanaugh vSheila 'v'ei<lenfeld ' C"'°C. 67, . h CT.> V · '' 67 q:;; • • {:j1e .;Osep . r • .n.:;nneay,.; r. 'J. ourzp.at1on 1701 K STREET, NORTH\NEST, SU!TE 205 \!fASH!NGTOn, D. C. 20006 / ,_,..ff _/ (202) 331·- !731 / ~· ? (_ _......--;f_,_~--~.,<· -~ .. f ! / (.,/ ]a.Yl.UCU1.l:f 16, 7975 Mn-0. Ge.na.ld Fond The Whi:te. H011.6 e. Wa-0hington, V. C. Ve.an Mn-0. Fond: I am de.lighte.d to ~e.ad in the. ne.w-0pa.pe.n.6 that you a.ne. · na.pidly impnoving in he.a.lth. Youn pic.tune.-0 make. you look -00 vibnant and null 06 e.nthu-0ia.om and high hope..o. All 06 11-0 ~e. ve.ny in-Opine.d by qaun high -0tandand 06 c.ounage. a.nd un.oe.l6i-0hne.-0-0 in c.annqing on the. many ne.-0pon-0ibilitie.-0 06 a Fin-0t Lady a.n.d doing -0 a many .thing-0 well duning da.y-0 whic.h a.ne. a bvioLt-O ly di6 fiic.u.a. A-0 you. will Jt e. c.all, you v e.n y_ _g nll: c.-{_<;_!;L-O JJf_<!:.9.!!- e_': d _ !.!' -0 e.n v e a..o H.aHoJc.a.!Ly Pa.ta a.ae.A.J.i-...a fi,._the. __ F_o U!Lth .. Jnt~JI-ng,:t.J,a__ n,g.l $_pe._c~a"t.. JJ1 lf.rtJti-<.C:-0 · Ga.J?.l_fA.,_-1.._~li_~_du.g._g_g_J:,_q_.t,a./ie. .. p.E,ac.e. }.u.gu.1.>.t 7-11, an the. c.a.mpu.6 of; C_g.)'Lt!.~·g,_g. __ ,\(£c,h,_,f,,g_~n .. Llniye.JL6,[,;ty, in Mt. Ple.a-0a.nt. But I wcwt_ ~rou. :i;,.Q. H know .too ,that on Ma.nc.h 9th .the.ne. wLtt be. "~ See.c.iqJ O{Y!!J..J2i.~4. Wo_n.l!.sf. I Pf!:Jlm..ie.ne. 0 n Ba.n6na. s,tne.i-Oa.nq~ ne.w {i:f-l.~£.~~n.y_~([Y" he.ne. ..in a.6 h..i.n~Q.11.,.__a,.t.~h.~_Kgn.~<f.d.Y.._SLe.n.;l:e.1_. Ba.nbJta. S;tne.i.6and a.nd ~h~ I ta.fl..6 of; that mot,(.on p,(.c.tune., plu!.> a. ho1.>.t of; a.then c.e.le.bn,(.t,(.e.J.> ne. c.om..ing to Wa.ohington 0an the. Wanld Pne.m..ie.ne.. In add..itio n .t_g_;t}Jg. mo v..i~....,--!'.Q~..fL.~~-.A..1;_g.g_:{nfL..f<:. __ Ql1e.-h au/!- !. V. Show ove.tc.. .the. __ A_§_Q_~:t!:Q_ank.. Ba.tc..b.tta. S.tne...i-0a.nd, Oma1'1. Shvr.i{i, Jame..6 Ca.an., Fnank Gi66otc..d, and othe.tc.. .6.ta.tc...6 will appe.a.n on that .6haw. Be.~.t 06 all, Spec.ia.l Olympic..6 and .the.. men.tally tc..e..ta.tc..ded w..ill ge..t a.bout 6 on 7 minu.te.1.> an .tha.:t T. V. Show ta de.man.6:tJta..te. .the athletic. a.b..ilitie.1.> 06 men.tally ne.tatc..de.d c.hildtc..e.n who have. pa.lr...:U.c.ipa.te.d ..in Spe.c.J..a.l Olympic.-0, a.nd, fion 11!.>, 11 .to tell the. watc..ld" clbau.t Spe.c.ial Olympic.-0. V.,.l..c..k._~C_a,Y-e.tt .-i..J.> . .the. ..'.!..JvL C.• ". fi.otc.. ..the. /~haw. He. w..ill be. in.te.tc..vie.wing .oome. 06 ouJr... c.e.le..bJtLt.y gu.e..ti.t!.>. He. w..ill .te.ll abau..t Spe.c.ial Olymp..ic.1.>, bu.t mo1.>t ofi all he.. will be. .the. An.c.hcn Ma.n. note.. .the. ent..ine one.-houtc.. Spe.c.ial. I wou..e.d be.. v e.Jty_ha1212!Ll1 iro u. ~!'.£-.t~_P n_e..oic£ent __ a~~ a~u; o:the/r. me.mbe.Jr.!.> o~ uou.Jt...li!!:!!l.f::-f:..y_ would be. a.ole. ta at.tiYUf .that e.ve.n..[n.g a.;1d r ho_p.J?.... uou. will a.c.c.e.JLt .{h.u;-··z-e:-t.i:T.tt-cD~a--wo,.Jr.iif,=rf..0~7,loVi.;_az .fnvJ..:ta.- :tio n,_£9..:'l_y__Q u. ,__J,fjg__p,'t ~_j:CA~fl_:.L__g.n.d ___ 6._Qf1- if outc.. c.hJ.ldn.e.n. We. wLtl ha. v e. box f.ie.a:t.6 ne.f.ie.h.ve..d, 06 c.ou.Jt.6e.., ~on you. and youtc.. panty. ' 1 •.iJtf.i. Gz.1u:r..ld FoJtd Ja.nu..a.h..lJ 16, 1975 Page Two 1 ~now you have many nequ..e.6tJ 6ofL youfL t.lme, but I hope that you. afLe. -6Jtee that:. even.Ing a.nd t:.ha:t you and youJi 0am-lly will come.. We plan to have. a lot:. 06 fiun and iv.l;th all the. movie ac.taJt.6 and a.etJte.6.6e,s, with the 6oo:tball -0:t.a.fl-0 and othe.fl fia.mou-0 a:thle.te..6, -0pofl:t.6WfL.lte.fl.6 and .6poJtt-0ca-0te.tL.6, I am -Ou.tLe that we w.lll have a. flela.xed and happy evening. Vault plte-Oence Would, on COUfL.6e., conne.fL anot:.hen gfLe.a.t honofL on Special Olympic-0 and be an .ln.6p.lnat.lan to the. hundned.6 06 thou-0and~ ofi volunte.e.fL.6 wofl~ing fiofL the. -Ou.cce.6.6 ofi the.he. game..6 in eve.fly .6ta:te 06 the Union.