08/11/09 Eunice Kennedy Shriver passed away this morning. One of the founders of the Special Olympics, she was an amazingly hard worker and helper for people with mental retardation. I took this photo of her in October of 2003 at the 15th annual Best Buddies Gala held at the her home in Potomac, MD.  Best Buddies is a charity like Big Brothers/Sisters that enhances the lives of people with mental disabilities.

The Gala is famous for the high concentration of star power it pulls in.

Robert De Niro beams as Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) gushes “You’re one of my favorite actors!”

Actress Penelope Ann Miller trying to see if it’s her key that fits the box filled with Tiffany items.