Celebrate EKS Day With Special Olympics Minnesota

Eunice Kennedy Shriver Honored Globally On September 25

MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Join Special Olympics Minnesota on Saturday, Sept. 25 to celebrate the first annual global Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day (EKS Day) and help honor the legacy and continue the work of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founder of Special Olympics.

The first-ever EKS Day will promote a global call for people to commit actions of inclusion, acceptance and unity for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Corporations, individuals and Special Olympics teams in Minnesota and around the world are invited to celebrate EKS Day by planning grass-roots activities, or EKS Acts of Unity, inspired by Shriver's values of love, justice, faith, hope and courage.

"This day will bring a hopeful future of inclusion and action that will build communities throughout the world," said Tim Shriver, Special Olympics Chairman & CEO. "All of these acts and events are not merely an honor to my mother's great legacy, but they are also about embracing the movement she started to inspire new fans to get involved. I can only hope that this day becomes an annual celebration of people demonstrating their willingness to accept and include people with intellectual disabilities."

Special Olympics Minnesota invites fans of advocacy, friendship, education and sport to join in leading the world in celebration of the inspiration, impact and indomitable spirit of Eunice Kennedy Shriver and to become agents of acceptance. EKS Day will be held annually on the fourth Saturday of September.

EKS Day Acts of Unity can be registered with both Special Olympics Minnesota and Special Olympics North America by contacting Bronwyn Schaefer Pope at [email protected]. For more information or to read acts that have already been pledged, visit http://www.specialolympicsminnesota.org/EKS_Day.php.

Special Olympics Minnesota offers children and adults with intellectual disabilities year-round sports training and competition. Through Special Olympics' athletic, health and leadership programs, people with intellectual disabilities transform themselves, their communities and the world.

SOURCE Special Olympics Minnesota