APD Receives Eunice Kennedy Shriver Award
By Director Barbara PalmerOn October 22, I was very pleased to accept on behalf of the agency the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Award from Special Olympics Florida at its annual Gala. The purpose of the award is to honor the hard work and dedication of our outstanding APD employees and their commitment to Special Olympics Florida. Deputy Director Clarence Lewis, his wife Barry, and Central Regional Operations Manager Jeannette Estes attended the event with me.
Special Olympics Florida marked its 5Oth anniversary with an inspiring 50th anniversary gala that drew nearly 600 friends and supporters from across the country.
Held at the spectacular Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate, the event honored 50 years of working to improve the lives of people with intellectual disabilities. It celebrated Special Olympics Florida supporters, volunteers, corporate partners, and, of course, the incredible athletes. Here is a list of the award winners:
- Florida Agency for Persons with Disabilities, Eunice Kennedy Shriver Award
- Mary Frances Smith, Athlete of the Year
- Frank Marion, Coach of the Year
- Orlando City Soccer Club and the Orlando Pride, Sports Organization of the Year
In celebration of the 50th anniversary, Special Olympics produced a video starring several athletes that was played at the Gala. You can watch it here. Special Olympics also created a video recapping the performance of Team Florida at the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games. Watch it here. Visit the Gala photo gallery to see pictures from the evening.
From left to right: Central Region Operations Manager Jeannette Estes, APD Director Barbara Palmer, Beaver Shriver, Barry Lewis, APD Deputy Director of Operations Clarence Lewis.
APD Director Barbara Palmer and Beaver Shriver
Senator Aaron Bean and APD Director Barbara Palmer
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