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 20, 2010
Dinner With Bill, The Arc Jacksonville's annual fundraiser, celebrates people with disabilities and the companies that employ them.
In its 19th 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
2009 - Tom Ryan, Swisher International, Inc.
2010 - Mike Hightower, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida
2010 Dinner With Bill Speaker
This year’s Keynote Speaker is Barry Morrow, an Academy Award and Emmy-winning screenwriter from Santa Barbara, California. Morrow is perhaps best known for his original screenplay, Rain Man. Starring Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise, Rain Man garnered multiple Oscar wins and was voted Best Picture of the Year in 1988. Morrow earned an Emmy for the 1981 television movie Bill, featuring acting legend Mickey Rooney and Dennis Quaid. Morrow’s most recent work, the motion picture Dance the Green, will come to life this year. Dance the Green, written and produced by Morrow, will tell the story of colorful, Canadian golfer, Moe Norman.
Morrow's interest in the art of storytelling began while studying children's theatre at the University of Hawaii. Later, upon graduating from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, he met and befriended Bill Sackter, a man who had spent forty-four years in a state institution for the mentally retarded. Morrow’s account of this unusual friendship resulted in the highly-acclaimed television movie, Bill. (Bill Sackter is the inspiration behind our very own Dinner With Bill!)
Morrow’s other distinguished television works include: The Karen Carpenter Story, the top-rated movie of its year; and the Emmy-nominated Christmas On Division Street, starring Hume Cronyn, which Morrow both wrote and produced.
In addition, Morrow’s producing credits include: Switched At Birth, which earned an Emmy nomination for Best Mini-Series and was the #1-rated show of its season; the foreign-produced motion picture, Gospa, starring Martin Sheen and Michael York; and the CBS television movie, The Disappearance of Vonnie.
From 1990-99, Barry headed Morrow-Heus Prods. with partner Richard Heus. Together, they produced the theatrical motion picture, Race the Sun, for TriStar from Morrow's original screenplay. They also executive-produced the critically-acclaimed documentary series, The Fifties, based on the David Halberstam book, and Behind the Mask, starring Donald Sutherland and Matthew Fox, for CBS.
In 1992, Morrow's live stage performance of Bill For Short was released on CD and cassette by Gang of Seven, a recording label featuring the best of America's spoken word artists.
Morrow’s first motion picture screenplay, Rain Man, went on to become the highest--grossing Oscar-winning film of its time. Rain Man told the story of the relationship between an autistic adult and his brother (played by Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise). Rain Man earned Morrow an Academy Award for his original story and screenplay.
A member of The Arc of the United States, the National Association of Social Workers, Project Turnabout, and the Autism Society of America, Barry Morrow is a lifelong advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities.
Barry Morrow, the 2010 Dinner With Bill Keynote Speaker, is sponsored Vistakon.
2010 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 2009 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 "2009 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 2009 Sponsors:
Keynote Speaker Sponsors
Vistakon
Marketing Sponsor
EverBank
Platinum Sponsors
Miller Electric Company
Publix Super Market Charities
Swisher International, Inc.
Gold Sponsors
Nelnet, Inc.
VyStar Credit Union
Table Sponsors
Allstate Workplace Division
Atlantic Marine Shipyards
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida
Mary & Bruce Bower
Benita & Jimmy Boyd
Citi
Ben & Diana Davis
Mike & Freda Drinkwater
Down Syndrome Association of Jacksonville
Fueling Components, Inc.
Diane & Steve Halverson
Christopher C. Hazelip, Attorney at Law
The Jacksonville Bank
Debbie & Jay Johnson
Kuhn Flowers
R. Ward Lariscy
Anne & Bob Lufrano
Military Affairs, Veteran and Disabled Services
Bernadette Moran
Oberdier & Oberdier, P.A.
UNF Foundation, Inc.
Wachovia Trust
Barbara & Jerry Williams
Dinner With Bill Past Winners
2009
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida
First Coast Service Options, Inc. (FCSO)
Mandarin Veterinary Clinic
Pizza Hut
2008
Carrabba's Italian Grill @ Jacksonville Beach
Hobby Lobby
Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront
University of North Florida Fine Arts Center
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
