Respect Rally seeks to replace the R-word

Special Olympic of Montana, Easter Seals-Goodwill, Eagle Mount and Quality Life Concepts are all nonprofit organizations that have helped people with disabilities in Great Falls and statewide for many years.

Now, they join forces to present several Respect Rallies around Great Falls to inspire respect and acceptance and eliminate the R-word (“retard(ed)”) as a hurtful and derogatory term.

The main rally takes place from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 8, at the University of Great Falls Providence Plaza.

The first of the rallies is at 7:50 a.m. Monday, Feb. 27, at East Middle School.

Through these campaigns and rallies, everyday young people, their family members and advocates are creating change in schools and communities and encouraging the inclusion and acceptance of people with intellectual disabilities by promoting a new R-word: respect.

“Spread the Word to End the Word” is a worldwide campaign by Special Olympics and Best Buddies International whose stated goal is to “ask people to pledge to stop saying the R-word as a starting point toward creating more accepting attitudes and communities for all people.”

The community is invited to support this cause and to hear firsthand how hurtful the R-word can be and how it affects the lives of these organizations’ athletes, clients, students and family members.

In addition to the rally being held in Great Falls, a number of other Respect Rallies are being held statewide.

To find out more information about the R-word campaign, visit www.r-word.org.

Reach Tribune Staff Writer Traci Rosenbaum at 791-1490. Follow her on Twitter @GFTrib_TRosenba.