Dr. Timothy Kennedy Shriver, Chairman and CEO of Special Olympics, chose Belize as his vacation destination for multiple reasons. He said he and his wife Linda were thinking of a place they can go for vacation where the family would “experience nature; learn history; discover places of beauty and meet people that would inspire (them).” He went on to say that Belize was a wonderful choice because his family has been inspired by Belizeans’ “gentleness, friendliness, openness, passion and joy in living”.
On Wednesday, December 29, he took a break from his vacation to visit the students of Stella Marris School and attend the launching of a calendar based on the art pieces of 12 children with disabilities. At the calendar launching he was introduced by Alan Auil, Chairman of Special Olympics Belize. Dr. Timothy Kennedy Shriver is the son of Robert Sargent Shriver and Eunice Kennedy-Shriver. His father was the driving force in creating the US Peace Corp and the organization’s first Director. His mother founded Special Olympics in 1968 with the idea of providing sporting exercise and athletic competition for persons with intellectual disabilities. Tim took over as Chairman and CEO of Special Olympics in 1996 and focused a movement that calls for respect, acceptance and inclusion for persons with disabilities. Under his guidance Special Olympics has grown by more than two million athletes globally.
Tim thanked Kim Simplis-Barrow, Special Envoy for Women and Children and Global Ambassador for Special Olympics, for the invitation to come to Belize. It was when the two met in Morocco that Mrs. Barrow told him, “Unu haftu cum da Belize”. He pointed out that Mrs. Barrow is the only individual in high office he knows who has made the Special Olympics’ theme their own. She headlines her emails with the theme, “Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt”. He commended her for her dedication to the development of all children in Belize- “not just the ones that will go on to be lawyers, doctors, build the infrastructure or open businesses but also the ones who will be brave in the attempt- the children who will remind this country of its heart and spirit- the children who will bring us together as a community and remind us that we depend on each other for our future more than we depend on any material thing.”
Before the calendar was unveiled, Mrs. Barrow shared a few words. She said, “For people with disabilities it is a constant challenge to access even their basic right to education, self determination, safety, earning a living and being a productive citizen.” She said that they just want the opportunity to be accepted “for who they are and not rejected for what they are not”. It is their resilience and resolve that has inspired her to fight on their behalf.
The calendar project is an initiative of Lifeline Foundation, Special Envoy for Women and Children, CARE Belize and Special Olympics Belize. It is entitled “Inspiration”.
The organizers approached 12 children with disabilities and asked them to draw something that truly expressed their feelings. Those special 12 children are Doris Staine, Jerome Bennett, Destiny Ariola, Kenroy Rosado, Ruby Garcia, Joshua Nisbet, Reynaldo Pop, Akeem Jones, Angel Santoya, Janielli Davis, Aiden Rosado and Trimaine Vernon. They each received a copy of the calendar autographed by Tim Kennedy Shriver and Kim Simplis-Barrow. Tim said that the most special thing about the calendar is that it “reminds us that inspiration is not once a month, week or day. It is everyday and every minute.” Kim said that she hopes the calendar inspires more Belizeans to “applaud, work with and help these truly special children.”
