Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day has been created to inspire fans to experience her legacy and embrace the movement she founded in her backyard.  What started as an inclusive sports camp in the early 1960s has blossomed into a worldwide movement known as Special Olympics transforming lives in over 175 countries.

For more than a half century, until her passing in 2009, Eunice Kennedy Shriver was an indomitable champion advocating for those who have been neglected and ignored for too long.  Her love of all people, her belief in justice, and her relentlessly energetic pursuit of a better life for people with intellectual disabilities serves as an example for everyone.  Her actions helped open the minds of all people to the gifts and talents of individuals with intellectual disabilities.  She believed in their possibilities, and she demonstrated an unrelenting spirit that one person could make a difference and change the world.

Hundreds of thousands of people around the world have committed to perform EKS Acts of inclusion and acceptance for and with persons with intellectual disabilities.  It will be a celebration of her life and a call for people to take action and set an example.  Special Olympics West Virginia (SOWV) will recognize EKS Day on September 23, 2011, (while EKS Day is celebrated each year on September 25, SOWV is starting a couple days early with the hope of reaching more people) by bringing together community service providers, independent living trainers, employers, SOWV athletes and volunteers and family members, policy makers, and general community members to sign the commitment to demonstrate EKS Acts of inclusion, acceptance and unity.  Everyone is welcome to join SOWV at the State Capitol on September 23 to take part in the movement that will make a difference for all West Virginia citizens.  

More information about EKS Day globally may be found at www.eksday.org