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 28, 2009
Dinner With Bill, The Arc Jacksonville's annual fundraiser, celebrates people with disabilities and the companies that employ them.
In its 18th 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.
2009 Dinner With Bill Speaker
This year’s keynote speaker is Randy Lewis, senior vice president of distribution and logistics for Walgreens. Lewis currently oversees the Walgreens distribution network across the U.S. and Puerto Rico. In particular, Lewis is the driving force behind Walgreens’ Anderson, South Carolina and Windsor, Connecticut Distribution Centers, workplaces that provide employment to hundreds of individuals with disabilities.
In Anderson and Windsor, Randy Lewis has found a way to make the Distribution Centers (DC) hum with efficiency while making a difference in people’s lives. It all began with Lewis proposing an initiative to hire people with disabilities to fill 30 percent of the positions at the Anderson and Windsor DC’s and all future Distribution Centers.
The Walgreen DC’s do not utilize the standard enclave model, whereby workers with disabilities are clustered together in one area. Instead, individuals with disabilities are fully integrated into the production areas, receiving the same compensation and benefits as typically-abled employees.
To make this a reality, Walgreens redesigned its distribution workflow and technology, allowing people with significant disabilities to hold production jobs within their DC. They developed automated guided vehicles, fully adjustable and flexible workstations, simplified computer touch screens, and more ergonomically designed equipment.
Through this project, Walgreens has learned that the individuals with disabilities are an extremely loyal and dependable workforce.
Randy Lewis knows the benefits of providing jobs for individuals with disabilities, and he also understands the economic requirements for companies. “We’re a business…” he says. “That’s why we try to make the work easier for all DC employees-with or without special needs. That makes us more efficient and, ultimately, saves money.”
Personally, Lewis knows about disabilities first hand from his 20-year-old son, Austin, who was diagnosed with autism at the age of three. “Austin has taught me to look past the obvious to see what’s special about an individual”, says Lewis.
Seeing the success in these Distribution Centers, Lewis set a new goal for the entire Distribution Division that people with disabilities would represent approximately 10% of the workforce in all of the buildings across the country.
The Walgreens’ Anderson and Windsor DC’s have generated considerable interest from across the country. Lewis dreams of a day when such undertakings are not the exception, but standard business practice. Ultimately, Lewis hopes that Walgreens’ workforce initiative will serve as an example for other companies. To that end, he plans to share information from the project with other interested parties. “We will share what we learned overall – in hiring people with disabilities,” Lewis said. “This is too important not to.”
For more information on Randy Lewis and Walgreens, please visit www.walgreensoutreach.com.
2009 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 2008 Sponsors:
Keynote Speaker Sponsors
EverBank
Platinum Sponsors
Coggin Automotive Group
Miller Electric Company
Publix Super Market Charities
Lee & Christy Smith
The Vestcor Companies
VyStar Credit Union
Gold Sponsors
Nelnet, Inc.
John D. Uible
Vistakon
Table Sponsors
Adtec Digital
Allstate Workplace Division
Baptist Health
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida
Mary & Bruce Bower
Citi
Coastal Construction Products
Curt Cunkle
Ben Davis
Fueling Components, Inc.
Mel R. Gottlieb
Susan Green
Diane & Steve Halverson
Down Syndrome Association of Jacksonville
The Jacksonville Bank
Jacksonville Luxury Living
Jacksonville Magazine
Debbie & Jay Johnson
Kuhn Flowers
Mayor's Disability Council
Bernadette Moran
Oberdier & Oberdier
PQH Architects, Inc.
R. Ward Lariscy
David Strickland
Swisher International, Inc.
Tallulah Wines
Wachovia Trust
Dinner With Bill Past Winners
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
