Dinner With Bill
Dinner With Bill is named after Bill Sackter, a developmentally disabled man who triumphed in his fight for independence. At the tender age of seven, Bill was placed in the Faribault State School for the Feeble-Minded and Epileptic in Iowa. He would never see his family again.
But during the deinstitutionalism trend of the 1960s, Bill was thrust onto the streets of Minneapolis. He drifted aimlessly for ten years until he met and was befriended by Barry Morrow, who was awarded custody of Bill. When he took a job as a professor at the University of Iowa, Barry took Bill with him.
Bill worked a variety of jobs at the university, but he gained his fame as sole proprietor of Wild Bill’s Coffeeshop on the university campus. Bill became a national celebrity as the result of the Emmy-Award-winning television movie about his life, Bill.
Though Bill passed away in 1983, his story of independence continues to epitomize the success people with disabilities can achieve if given employment opportunities. Bill’s philosophy still lives in the daily activities of our organization: “What every man needs to succeed is a good home, a good job and a good buddy.”
Dinner With Bill Details - October 22, 2008
Dinner With Bill, The Arc Jacksonville's annual fundraiser, celebrates people with disabilities and the companies that employ them.
In its seventeenth year, Dinner With Bill features the Corporate Disabilities Employment Awards in two categories: Large Employer and Small Employer. The Mayor's Disability Council works with The Arc Jacksonville in selecting the award recipients each year. To date, more than fifty local companies have been recognized for their support of people with disabilities. The chairmen of this event since 2000 have been:
2000 - Terry West, Vystar Credit Union
2001 - Jim McCollum, BellSouth (dinner was cancelled due to Sept 11 attacks)
2002 - John Delaney, UNF, and Paul Harden, attorney
2003 - Mayor John Peyton and former Mayor Jake Godbold
2004 - John Delaney and Paul Harden
2005 - Ambassador John Rood
2006 - Marty Lanahan, AmSouth, and Deborah S. Pass, ATS Services
2007 - A. Hugh Greene, Baptist Health of Northeast Florida
2008 - Curt Cunkle and David Strickland, EverBank
2008 Dinner With Bill Speaker
This year’s keynote speaker is Kyle Maynard. Kyle was born March 24, 1986 with a condition known as congenital amputation, which has left him with arms that end at the elbows and legs that end near his knees.
Kyle’s story begins as a 12 year old that wanted to wrestle and a coach that gave him an opportunity to try. In spite of his limitations, Kyle found a way to win 36 varsity matches his senior year of high school, while defeating several state place finishers and state champions during his final season.
Maynard’s accomplishments extend far beyond the wrestling mat. He can type up to fifty words per minute, eat and write without any adaptations, and drive a vehicle that has little modification. Kyle began weight training as a youngster, and with leather straps and chains attached to his arms, he can now lift nearly 400 lbs. In November 2003, he attained the unofficial title of the World’s Strongest Teen at the GNC Show-of-Strength by doing 23 repetitions of 240 lbs. In 2005, he set the World Record in the modified bench press at the Arnold Fitness Classic with the bench of 360 lbs.
Kyle is the 2004 ESPY Award Winner (Best Athlete with a Disability) and the recipient of the 2004 Presidents Award for the Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame. In 2005, Kyle was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame with the Medal of Courage. In 2007, he was elected by the U.S. Jaycees as one of the Top Ten Outstanding Young Americans.
Kyle has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Larry King Live, ABC’s 20/20, Good Morning America, the CBS Early Show, and as a cover story in USA Today. He has been featured on HBO Real Sports, Spike TV, as well as countless local and regional TV shows and in print. And, he continues to inspire as the author of his book, No Excuses (2005), a New York Times best seller.
Currently, Kyle is enrolled at the University of Georgia and has started his first company, which is producing and distributing a new product line of all organic, sport training supplements.
“It’s not what I can do, but what I will do”
Kyle approaches life with an indomitable and determined spirit. After meeting Kyle, you will find it difficult to complain about life’s barriers and insignificant problems. Bernard Goldberg, HBO Real Sports correspondent, sums it up best “Kyle has taken away the right for us to complain…”
For more information on Kyle Maynard, please visit www.WashingtonSpeakers.com/KMaynard.
2008 Dinner With Bill Sponsorship Opportunities
Becoming a sponsor of Dinner With Bill is one of the most important ways you can help the intellectually and developmentally disabled in our area. We invite you to make a difference in the lives of those we serve.
To learn more about or become a Dinner With Bill Sponsor, please contact Cara Bowyer at 904-355-0155 x 403 or cbowyer@arcjacksonville.org
Title Sponsor $15,000
- Title position on all presentation, program, and marketing materials before, during and after event
- 25 VIP tickets to pre-event reception
- 2 reserved tables to the Dinner (20 VIP tickets)
- Company logo on all event communications before, during and after event
- Event literature will read " _______ Company presents the 2008 Dinner With Bill, benefiting The Arc Jacksonville"
Keynote Speaker Sponsor $10,000
- Company will be identified prominently as the Keynote Speaker Sponsor on event signs, program, and marketing materials before, during and after event
- 20 VIP tickets to pre-event reception
- 2 reserved tables to the Dinner (15 VIP tickets)
- Company logo on all event communications before, during and after event
- Event literature will read "2008 Dinner With Bill Keynote Speaker sponsored by _______ Company"
Marketing Sponsor $7,500
- Company will be identified prominently on event signs, program, and marketing materials before, during and after event
- 15 VIP tickets to pre-event reception
- 2 reserved tables to the Dinner (15 VIP tickets)
- Company logo on all event communications before, during and after event
- Event literature will read "Marketing Sponsors include _______ (with company logo)"
Platinum Sponsor $5,000
- Company will be listed prominently in the program and marketing materials before, during and after event
- 10 VIP tickets to pre-event reception
- 1 reserved table to the Dinner (10 VIP tickets)
- Company logo on all event communications before, during and after event
- Event literature will read "Platinum Sponsors include _______ (with company logo)"
Gold Sponsor $2,500
- Company will be listed in the DWB program and all signage during the event
- 5 VIP tickets to pre-event reception
- 1 reserved table to the Dinner (10 VIP tickets)
- Event literature will read "Gold Sponsors include _______ Company (and others listed alphabetically)"
Table Sponsor $1,500
- Company will be listed in the DWB program and all signage during the event
- 2 VIP tickets to pre-event reception
- 1 reserved table to the Dinner (10 VIP tickets)
- Event literature will read "Table Sponsors include _______ Company (and others listed alphabetically)"
Individual tickets $150
Dinner With Bill Past Sponsors
The Arc Jacksonville is grateful to the following 2007 Sponsors:
Marketing Sponsors
Baptist Health
EverBank
Platinum Sponsors
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida
Coggin Automotive Group
Florida Rock Industries Inc.
Miller Electric Company
Publix Super Market Charities
Lee and Christy Smith
Vestcor Family Foundation
VyStar Credit Union
Gold Sponsors
Jacksonville Greyhound Racing
Diane and Steve Halverson
Nelnet, Inc.
Regions Bank
Vistakon
W.W. Gay Mechanical Contractor, Inc.
Wachovia Trust
Table Sponsors
Allstate
American Land Ventures, LLC
BAE Systems Inc.
Citi
Community First Credit Union of Florida
Fueling Components, Inc./GEOCOR, LLC
The Gottlieb Family
The Jacksonville Bank
Jacksonville Transportation Group
Jay and Debbie Johnson
Kuhn Flowers
Mayor’s Disability Council of Jacksonville
Mr. and Mrs. James W. Milligan
PQH Architects, Inc.
Premium Promotions Concepts, Inc.
R. Ward Lariscy Interiors
RS&H Improving Your World
Swisher International, Inc.
UNF Foundation, Inc.
Wachovia
Dinner With Bill Past Winners
2007
Mandarin Veterinary Clinic
North Florida School
Starbucks
Stein Mart
2006
Challenge Enterprise @ The Federal Courthouse
Citi Cards
Saint Stephen Child Care and Learning Center
Tidbits
2005
1-800-DRYCLEAN
Fontana’s Restaurant
Healthcare Services Group
Ramsey Dev, dba Wendy’s
2004
Barnhill’s of Orange Park
KMart on Blanding Blvd.
Piccadilly at Regency
Sam’s Club of Orange Park
2003
Adtec, Inc.
CitiCard
Rogers, Towers
Winn Dixie Inc./Middleburg
2002
A Child’s Place Montessori School
All Saints Early Learning and Community Care Center, Inc.
Mariotti’s Laundry and Dry Cleaning
Martin Gottlieb and Associates
2001
Alliance Mortgage Company
Merrill Lynch
Publix Super Markets, Store #631
Tidbits
2000
Behrens Audio-Video
Iluka Resources
Radisson
Vistakon
1999*
Florida Coastal School of Law
Pizza Hut (Store 622010)
Publix Super Markets
The Prudential Insurance Company
1997
European Street Restaurant, Riverside
Florida Department of Transportation
Naval Aviation Depot Jacksonville
Publix Super Markets, Beach and San Pablo
1996
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida
Publix Super Markets - 5858 Atlantic Blvd.
RGC (USA) Mineral Sands, Inc.
St. Luke’s Hospital
1995
Maxwell House Coffee Company
The River Club
Walter Lorenz Surgical, Inc.
1994
First Union National Bank
St. Vincent’s Health System
Wilma’s Little People’s School
1993
Chili’s Grill and Bar
City of Jacksonville
Taco Bell (Baymeadows and 103rd Street)
The Prudential Insurance Company
1992
Barnett Bank of Jacksonville
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida
Comsis Corporation
The Avenues Mall Food Court
1991
IBM
McDonald’s
Pizza Hut
*
Dinner with Bill and the awards were not presented in 1998
