The Boston Red Sox and Exceptional Parent (EP) Honor Eunice Shriver, Travis Roy and Cale Bullis for EP's Second Annual Disability Awareness NightTM at Fenway Park

BOSTON, July 17 /PRNewswire -- On July 23, 2003, the Boston Red Sox and Exceptional Parent (EP) will host the Second Annual Disability Awareness NightTM at Fenway Park. This event pays special tribute to the 54 million Americans with disabilities, their families and caregivers. Honorees at the pre-game ceremonies for the Maxwell J. Schleifer Distinguished Service Award are: Eunice Kennedy-Shriver, founder of Special Olympics International, a person of boundless energy, passion and commitment and who has been an advocate and supporter for the special needs community for decades; Travis Roy, former hockey player at Boston University who has quadriplegia; and Cale Bullis, Crotched Mountain Schools Special Olympics athlete.

Pre-game ceremonies will be held-starting at 6:40 PM at home plate, just prior to the Red Sox game against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays -- to help raise awareness for 54 million Americans who have a disability or special healthcare need, and the efforts being made by physicians, researchers, teachers, caregivers and concerned corporate citizens to improve their lives.

The award is named after EP's founder and former Editor-in-Chief, Maxwell J. Schleifer, PhD who passed away in July 2000. Dr. Schleifer, an advocate for people with special needs, founded EP Magazine in 1971. Born and raised in Boston, he received his undergraduate degree from Harvard College, and his doctorate in psychology from Boston University.

Ed McCabe, a member of EP's Board of Directors of EP and Steve Perlman, DDS, EP Editorial Advisory Board member and member of the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry, will be on hand for the ceremonies at Fenway Park, as will Joseph M. Valenzano, Jr. EP's CEO, President & Publisher. Supporters for Disability Awareness NightTM at Fenway Park are Genzyme Corp. and Ride-Away Handicap Equipment Corp.

About EP

Based in River Edge, NJ, 32-year-old EP is a fully integrated communications company providing information for families and professionals involved in the care and development of people with disabilities and special healthcare needs. EP uses a multi-media approach to disseminate information via: its publication, Exceptional Parent; Web site (http://www.eparent.com/); custom communications projects and clinical monographs; the EP Library of disability books; seminars developed through the EP Foundation for Education, a 501(C)3 company and the World Congress & Exposition on Disabilities. Exceptional Parent Magazine has received many prestigious awards, including the FOLIO: Gold Medal Awards for editorial excellence. Contact EP at 1-800-EPARENT.

About EP's Disability Awareness NightsTM

It began in July and August 2002. EP Magazine, America's oldest and most widely distributed publication serving families of special needs children and adults along with health care and education professionals, combined forces with the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox and created the first of EP's Disability Awareness Nights(TM). The events have expanded in 2003, with the participation of fourteen Major League Baseball clubs who have committed dates to participate these special events.  

PR Newswire; 7/17/2003