Stuttering Foundation Receives $10,000 Donation from Rita’s Italian Ice

Naples, Fla. (March 14, 2013) – Stuttering Foundation president Jane Fraser accepted a $10,000 donation today from Tom Christopoul, Chairman of Rita’s Italian Ice. Mr. Christopoul presented Ms. Fraser with the donation at Rita’s Naples outlet, where American Idol top ten finalist Lazaro Arbos worked as a Treat Team Member. The donation took place during a visit to Arbos’ former workplace, and in front American Idol cameras and a crowd of pink-shirted fans.

The Stuttering Foundation has been rooting for Arbos on its Facebook page since his American Idol audition several weeks ago, and has received hundreds of notes and letters of support from people who stutter, and their families. “The entire stuttering community is cheering for Lazaro,” said Ms. Fraser. “That’s three million voters in the U.S. alone!”

“We are touched by the kindness of Mr. Christopoul and the Rita’s Italian Ice family for this donation on behalf of Lazaro Arbos,” said Fraser. “The courage of Lazaro Arbos combined with the generosity of people like Rita’s Tom Christopoul, allows us to continue our mission of helping those who stutter and their families, and educating the public about the myths and mysteries of stuttering.”

“We couldn’t be more proud of Lazaro and appreciate all Rita’s fans who voted for him,” said Mr. Christopoul. “We encourage others like Lazaro to find their voice, and are pleased to donate $10,000 to the Stuttering Foundation on behalf of Lazaro Arbos in support of his determination and strength. All our bets are on Lazaro to win and we are wishing him Ice, Custard, Happiness from Rita’s!”

CELEBRITY FOCUS

Bill Walton

From BillWalton.com

Thank you for your interest in my life long problem with my speech and communication skills. I was a very shy and reserved young man who could not speak at all without severely stuttering until I was 28 years old. Always a success in the classroom and on the basketball court, I took refuge in the things that I did well as a youngster. A straight A student, my athletic abilities covered the deficiencies that limited my overall growth and development. The game of basketball was my religion, the gym my church. It was a convenient way of avoiding my responsibilities of developing my human relation skills.

When I was 28, a chance encounter at a social event with Hall of Fame broadcaster Marty Glickman completely changed my life in so many ways that things have never been the same since, nor have they ever been better. That day, in a very brief, private conversation (one way, mind you, since I literally could not speak at the time) Marty explained, patiently and concisely, that talking, communicating was a skill not a gift or a birthright and that like any skill, whether it be sports, music, business or whatever, needed to be developed over a lifetime of hard work, discipline, organization and practice. Marty gave me some simple tips that day and then encouraged me to take those keys and apply them to methods of learning that I had received from the special teachers that I had come across in my life, particularly the 6 Hall of Fame basketball coaches that I had played for throughout my career. The beginning of my whole new life was as simple as that. No gimmicks, tricks or shortcuts. Just the realization that with some help, guidance and a lot of hard work that I too could do what seemed so easy, simple and natural to everyone else, yet seemed impossibly out of my reach and comprehension.

King George

In November 2010, worldwide movie audiences were presented with a most interesting and unusual movie release with The King’s Speech, starring Colin Firth as King George VI and Helena Bonham Carter as his wife Elizabeth.

Unfortunately, history may have forgotten the courageous and inspiring story of Prince Albert who stuttered badly and never dreamed that he would ever be king when his older brother, King Edward VIII, abruptly abdicated the throne in 1936 to marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee.

Frank Wolf

This Virginian congressman has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1981. The longtime supporter of the Stuttering Foundation drew national attention to childhood stuttering in 2006 when he submitted an article about Tiger Woods from the SFA newsletter to the Congressional Record. The congressman is featured in the Stuttering Foundation's Famous People Who Stutter brochure.

Bruce Willis

While the world knows Bruce Willis as an A-list actor, few know that he struggled with stuttering throughout his first 20 years.

Walter Bruce Willis was born in 1955 in West Germany to his German mother, Marlene, and his American GI father, David Willis. The family settled in David’s hometown of Penns Grove, New Jersey in 1957, and the couple has three other children.

John Melendez

He is a talented musician, actor, and comedian. Listen to a podcast.