Cruise on the Bay

On the Bay, SF--8/22/09

The weather cleared just in time for a ship full of Arc Angels to sail the San Francisco Bay in support of The Arc on Saturday. We wanted to show our appreciation for all our Arc Angels do in helping to get The Arc through these difficult financial times, literally keeping our heads above water.

Over 50 people including Arc Angels, clients, family and friends sailed from Sausalito to the Golden Gate Bridge and back enjoying the views (including dolphins!) and hors d'oeuvres (all homemade by guest chef Eric Schmautz with the San Francisco Rotary).

Our vessel was a 75-foot custom built yacht--a special donation from two anonymous contributors especially with the Arc Angels in mind.

Even though times are very difficult, former Board President Greg Murphy urged everyone who could to renew and increase their annual pledges to The Arc so we can sustain our services and continue to provide the best quality of support for our clients.

Special thanks to Pat Napoliello for making this event happen and to Laura Repke for organizing all the details.

And thank you again to all our Arc Angels who braved the seas in support of our mission!

Tim Hornbecker

Tim is Chief Executive Officer of The Arc of San Francisco

Photo: Anne Slater, a client of The Arc, with Dick Essey, Arc Angel.

Making Friends

Hi, I’m Leonette.  I’m going to give you some advice on getting along with friends.

How to meet friends

First introduce yourself to the person you may like. Then you can spend time together. You can do things like go out for coffee, or talk to them on the phone. My roommate Judy and I have been friends for a long time. We met at the Special Olympics; you can meet lots of people there.

Here’s what’s important in a friend

Friends are trustworthy, dependable and thoughtful. They don’t get jealous. A friend is someone you can look up to. It’s important to understand each other.

Friends are helpful

It’s nice to have friends because you can depend on them; like they’ll wait for you. I help my friends if they are in a bad mood or they’re upset. I’ll ask them what’s wrong and try to get them to talk about it. It’s important to listen to your friends. You can help solve problems together; that’s what Judy and I try and do.

Leo is a member of The Arc of San Francisco's Client Advisory Committee.

Photo: Leo (left) with friend Judy.

Eunice Shriver: Mourning a Champion

As every kid knows, you learn best when you're having fun. No one understood this better than Eunice Shriver who founded the Special Olympics in 1962 as a summer camp in her back yard. She had just been appointed to the first Presidential Committee on Intellectual Disabilities.

Looking back, it seems so obvious. Shriver created a program that enables athletes with disabilities to compete in a supportive and challenging environment. She gave participants an opportunity to achieve their personal best with their families and friends cheering them on. Equally importantly, Shriver gave the wider world an opportunity to see this often-misunderstood community at its best. 

As the leader of an organization that serves people with developmental disabilities--and a former tennis and basketball Special Olympics coach--I know firsthand how important the games can be in the lives of people with disabilities. At The Arc of San Francisco, we always know it's Special Olympics award season when our bowlers and basketball players make the rounds of our offices wearing their medals and beaming with pride. 

Shriver worked with The Arc of the US and California throughout the last 6 years to thwart budget cuts affecting our clients. I had the opportunity to discuss employment with her, and she emphasized that the largest barrier is people's attitude toward people with disabilities, not the disability! Although we will deeply miss this visionary leader, I am comforted knowing that the powerful idea she championed--that people with disabilities have "earned the right to play on any playing field,"--will continue to shape our ideas about abilities, disabilities and each other all over the world. 

--Tim Hornbecker

(Tim Hornbecker is Chief Executive Officer of The Arc of San Francisco.)

PHOTO: Patti gets last minute bowling tips from her coach Reggie.