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Show larger sense he had indeed won. 1 looked at his parents. They were unabashedly proud. Later, his father said to me, Jeff s very sensitive. Every time he does something new, we cheer, because its a miracle. The least little thing he does is exciting. If he tries to use a big word he tried to use obnoxious last night or when he added seven and eight and finally got it right, that's exciting. He loves sports, but he wouldnt be able to compete if it werent for Special Olympics. It's the biggest thing in his life. The school districts provide for athletics, but not for Jeff. "He loves basketball, but hell never know what it feels like to play it. This year, even when it snowed, he went out and shot baskets. He's gotten really good. But hell never be part of it. and theres a sadness there. Three years ago, we first took him to Special Olympics, and his ribbons made him King Tut! Was he excited! What it said to him was. 1 can be somebody. He could strut his stuff, and nobody could put him down. He performs the best he can. He knows that, and that's all that matters to him. Until the Gregorys moved to Cedar Edge, Colo., not long ago. Jeff was the only retarded child in his school . Today, in another school, he's in a class with other retarded kids. But because he lives in a normal world where he will never do as well as the majority of other children, where he will fail and fail again. Special Olympics are the only occasions where he will win and know that he has. In time, as he gets older, he may grow isolated and removed, as do many such children as they age. But he will always have the memory of these games, the ribbons he won. the praise he received. When the meet was over, dusk settling over the stadium. sat in the bleachers and watched the children scattered like petals at random on the grass, their shadow s long across the field I remembered other children, also retarded, w horn 1 had seen in state hospitals children whose parents cannot or will not care for them and are dumped like so much refuse in prisonlike institutions, holding pens for many of the weakest, most defenseless among our people. I have seen them housed there, unable to appeal, often physically and sexually abused. have seen them sitting by the hundreds in dim. bare rooms, sitting in their own urine and feces, little children naked and unwanted, their arms cradling their bodies, rocking endlessly in rooms w ith concrete floors. If nothing else. Special Olympics teaches us that the Jeffs and Jons of this world, and the boys who make their triumph in w heelchairs dow n dirt tracks, deserve better than to be locked away. Their singular courage adorns the earth. Come. Celebrate. And save $1.20! 1 Join our Ragu' Italian Festival celebration and well give you 10C off any Ragu' Spaghetti Sauce or Ragu' Italian Cooking Sauce. And another 10C off any Ragu' Pizza Quick product. But the savings dont stop there. Look in your store for the special Italian Festival refund offer. Itll save you an additional $1.00 on your next grocery bill. Theyre all part of our Ragu' Italian Festival celebration. Ragu'. Thats Italian! 1 g w rite to Eunice Kenneth Shriver. Chairman of the BotirJ. Special Olympics. Dept. P. 1701 K Sr. Washington. D C. 20006. For more information, I toe toe F10c Any Ragu'0 Spaghetti Sauce or Ragu' Italian Cooking Sauce I I - Mr Dealer Inc will if I IOC OFF Z 3 ou Ragu Poods Pone $ Inc Packed foods Division of Chesebrougn lor hanging you lor the face value of this coupon pms the sale of the specified croouct Invoices showing vour ot sufficient flock of specific proauctto cover an coupons presented reimburse receive it on purchase tor redemption restricted must Customer be shown uoon request ttoifl if prohibrted must cay any reouired sates tax Good onty in I s IJ Ix Cash vame I Offer expires for redemption couoon mail tc Ragu foods Inc PQ Bo one coupon per customs 20 of of prooeriy received 1000 Clinton Iowa tc or the U S A and nandied 52734 Limit 33185. PARADE MAGAZINE PAGE 7 10cl Any Ragu' Pizza Quick Product I I 1 I I j j j Z 1 I 21 I J I I foods Dvsior of Chese Ragu foods Inc Packaged will reimburse you tor the face value of this inc 8 tor handling if you receive it on !he su of the Invoices showing your purchase of sufficient stock specified product ot specific product to an coupons presetted tor redemption must be shown upon request void if prohibited or 'fsmeted Customer must pay required sates tai Good onty m the U S A Cash aiue 20 o i for regemption or properly received and Mr Deafer brougn coupon Ponds plus co' tad ay lx handled coupon mal to Ragu foods Iowa 5 2 734 limit ox coupor pe custom? Offer expires 00521 512202 SEPT. 30, 19 4 10C OFF PQ &oi 1000 Cl'tton 33185. 00521 512731 10CJ10C C 1984 Ragu Foods. Inc., owner of the registered trademark RAGU' |