Eunice Kennedy Shriver Sports & Training Center named in honor of Special Olympics founder.
By: John Dunphy
Despite strong, cold winds blowing hats off heads and snowflakes through the air, it was warm and inviting in the Special Olympics New Jersey Sports Complex on Saturday morning.
Special Olympics athletes, friends, family, Special Olympics officials and other guests converged on the Princess Road facility for the official dedication of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Sports & Training Center. The event, which preceded the inaugural basketball game in the new gymnasium, was held in honor of Mrs. Shriver, who founded the Special Olympics in 1962.
"You do me such a great honor by naming your beautiful Sports and Training Center for me," said the 85-year-old Mrs. Shriver, who is known by many as the mother of news anchor Maria Shriver and sister to former President John F. Kennedy. "Today I thank each of you; the noonday light of justice is shining around this state because of your enormous generosity and hard work."
The 11-acre Lawrence Township sports complex opened in 2002. It features a fully equipped exercise and wellness center, libraries for parents, siblings, coaches and athletes, basketball and bocce courts and meeting facilities.
The 14,000-square-foot Eunice Kennedy Shriver Sports & Training Center addition is the first sports facility named after Mrs. Shriver, whose sister, Rosemary, lived most of her adult life with severe intellectual disabilities following a lobotomy when she was 23. Rosemary Kennedy died in 2005 of natural causes at the age of 86.
"My sister Rosemary was told ‘no,’" Mrs. Shriver said to the assembled audience Saturday. "And I remember so well as my mother sought help. Over and over again, she heard ‘no’ no place here, no program here, no welcome for your daughter here."
Since Special Olympics began as Camp Shriver over 40 years ago in Maryland, the program has grown significantly across the world; today, there are more than 2.25 million athletes participating in over 200 programs in more than 150 countries.
Special Olympics New Jersey was founded in 1970. There are now more than 15,000 athletes who train and compete throughout the state, many of whom will be coming through the Lawrence facility.
"We first played on the court last Sunday," said Special Olympics athlete Pauline Naturile. "I really love it. It’s a really nice court."
Kristen Clark, a Special Olympics athlete for over 20 years, was one of three people inducted into the Special Olympics Hall of Fame last year.
"It’s lovely," she said regarding the Princess Road complex. "I’ve loved this experience."
"This is exceptional," said Pat Clark, Kristen Clark’s mother. "I don’t think there are any other state Special Olympics facilities like this."
There aren’t, a fact proudly spoken of often by Special Olympics New Jersey staff, including Marc Edenzon, the organization’s president.
"We never wanted to raise funds for an office," he said. "If we were going to do a capital campaign, we wanted to make sure it was a facility that served our athletes. The goal was to speak with them and their families around the state to guarantee the facility would be one that would provide services specific to what they would like. With that, we wanted it to be totally free of charge."
"Every dimension of service we could provide would be targeted to ultimately be part of this facility. And it’s the only one in the world," Mr. Edenzon added.
Irene Hill-Smith, a longtime board member with the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, spoke on behalf of that organization, which contributed the $1.5 million needed for the gymnasium and conference center expansion.
"When (Marc Edenzon) came in to present (the expansion plan), I was ready to jump out of my chair," she said. "I was sold before he opened his mouth."
A former state president of the NAACP and civil rights activist during the 1950s and 1960s, Ms. Hill-Smith said she was happy "to be part of this rebirth."
"I don’t see a better use of casino money," she said. "I’ll never stop talking. I’m just so proud to be part of this. It’s just joy and we’ve got to let the world know it’s here."
With the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Sports & Training Center’s high profile name, and with Special Olympics many participants, the world will have a hard time forgetting about the Lawrence Township facility.
"The ability is right there," said Barbara Fumosa, a Special Olympics New Jersey Area 5 volunteer basketball coach. "And the people with less ability don’t play any less hard they’re just as committed."
Ms. Fumosa’s comments go hand-in-hand with the Special Olympics oath: "Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt."
"When we wake tomorrow, let us not forget that we have miles to go to overturn the prejudice and oppression facing the world’s 180 million citizens with intellectual disabilities," Mrs. Shriver said. "But, what joy together we have begun. May you each continue to spend your lives in this noble battle."