OCR Text |
Show Directing Special Olympics program is a full time job for Shriver team by Teri ((inics "It has taken the Democratic party 200 years to elect a woman as a vice-presidential candidate. It has only taken the Special Olympics 16 years to elect a man as its president," Special Olympics founder foun-der Eunice Shriver told the crowd Monday evening. Shriver then introduced her successor to the position she has held since the inception of the organization, her husband Sargent Shriver. In a separate interview with the Park Record, Sargent Shriver said, "Basically I've been with the program since it started in my backyard, I guess I've really been involved on a half-time basis for about 15 years now. "My wife Eunice decided the program was really getting so big it would take both our efforts fulltime. She has become chairman of the board, allowing her more time to travel to the different regions and see how the actual field operations are handled. "I can then do a lot of the bureaucratic work, accounting ana all. "The truth is, we make a pretty good team."- Certainly no one would question Shriver's qualifications for the position. The founder of such volunteer programs as the Peace Corps, Head Start and the Job Corps, Shriver is familiar with what it takes to initiate and maintain a successful volunteer program. Politically, Shriver has long been force in the Democratic party. He also served five years as president of the school board for the city of Chicago. He has been ambassador to France. And in 1972 he was George McGovern's running mate as vice president on the Democratic ticket. In discussing the Democrat's selection this year of its vice-presidential candidate, Shriver said the tip-off came with the endorsement of Geraldine Ferraro by Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill. "There was something very unusual there for this worldy-wise Irishman to sponsor her. Hell, Tip didn't come out and sponsor me when I ran. or Mo L'dall when he ran. I knew this woman was different. "What is special about Geraldine Ferraro is she understands people and politics. "Look, she was the chairman of the convention this year. Remember before the convention how there were rumors there would be a number of fights over the platform. Well, they didn't happen. And the reason they didn't is because she saw to it they didn't erupt. "She has understandably a woman's point of view on many-issues. many-issues. But she can present those views in such a way that men will listen. She is a very exceptional human being, a real politican." As for Shriver himself, he sees his days of running for elective office as being over. "I don't ever count things out, of course. But no, I don't see myself running for an elective office again. ' ' In talking to Shriver about the variety of programs he has been associated with, it is apparent that while many are special to him, none .in ; iu.iumI as the Special Olympics "Iiist summer at the Games in Louisiana there were people from the world over- Poland, Africa, Egypt and it was miraculous what happens. One woman who was on the Israeli Olympic team the year of the hostage crisis said. 'This, this is the way the world should he all the time. This is the way we should treat one another ' "The mentally retarded really do bring out the best in people. There is trusting, and an innocence about them which makes people do their best with them. The week was really like going to a spiritual retreat. "I know the same thing will happen next March when the Winter Games come to -Park City. It's the mentally-retarded people that oo it. not us." Ono can only assume Special Olympians are given their many chances to excel because the Shrivers are visionary, dedicated people, capable of bringing out the best in their volunteers. |