Olympic champion: Bill Asbury, 2013 Du Quoin Chamber of Commerce outstandng citizen of the year, raises the bar for all of us
"Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt."--The motto of Special Olympics
Bill Asbury is all about ability, not disability.
For Special Olympic athletes, he understands the struggle. He knows the odds.
His family--wife Jill and children Catlin, Lindsay, Emily and Brenna--live their lives understanding that perceptions matter because they affect how we treat each other. And, that all of us should treat each other with dignity and respect.
Because of those beliefs and because of the money his family has raised for more than 800 Special Olympic athletes in Southern Illinois, he is Du Quoin's 2013 Outstanding Citizen of the Year.
He will be honored Wednesday at the chamber's annual banquet at the Du Quoin Elks. Social Hour begins at 6 p.m. and the banquet is at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 per person and can be purchased at the Chamber Office, Banterra Bank, Du Quoin State Bank or Regions Bank in Du Quoin. But, you need to hurry. Other Awards to be presented are: Emerging Business of the Year Award, Business of the Year Award, Past President Award and President's Award.
Bill Asbury has evened the playing field for challenged athletes by bringing 28 girls' softball teams to the Southern Illinois Center on the grounds of the Du Quoin State Fair every January to play indoor winter softball. This year, the tournament and its sponsors raised approximately $65,000. In five years, the numbers grow to a staggering quarter of a million dollars.
It is a three-day Celebration of Life where nearly 400 softball players from all over the Midwest stand alongside Special Olympic athletes and tell them "you matter." The opening ceremonies are Southern Illinois' best ticket. They make you laugh. They make you cry. They make you say to yourself, "God, Bill Asbury, what a man!"
It all began six years ago as a leap of faith as Asbury imagined a traditional summer girls' softball tournament that would benefit Special Olympic Athletes like daughter Brenna, who was born with Downs Syndrome. Six years later, Brenna, is a Special Olympics rock star, who belts out "God Bless America" during opening ceremonies like the power hitters on teams like the Kentucky Force or Centralia Super Sonic softball teams belt home runs. Brenna, 18, plans to become what's known as a Global Messenger for Special Olympics.
Daughter Catlin, 22, champions the campaign to "Spread the Word to End the Word"--retardation. She speaks to high school students and last year worked alongside Du Quoin Mayor Rex Duncan to adopt a citywide proclamation--the only city in Illinois to do so--ending use of the word.
Asbury, 53, is employed by Roland Equipment of Carterville and previously by Mathis & Sons Crane & Excavating of Du Quoin, one of the tournament's chief sponsors, and before that Boyd Brothers Sierra Bravo excavating of Sesser and Consolidation Coal Co. Burning Star No 5 mine at DeSoto.
"I started this tournament working by myself. My goal was 22 teams and I begged and pleaded to get 20 teams. The responses from coaches: "We'll try this one year, then see."
"Then Norm Hill, John Rednour Jr. and Jeff Mason at the fairgrounds got involved," Asbury remembers. "We went over to the Southern Illinois Center with the idea we would get one field out of it. We measured it and decided we could get two fields," he said. With the warmth of the building, the lighting, the dirt floor and the tall ceiling a WINTER softball tournament was born.
He had the vision, but even a tournament-on-a-budget would have start-up costs of "a couple of thousand dollars." He thought about approaching his friend, Knight Hawk Coal Co. CEO Steve Carter. He admittedly stewed over the size of the sponsorship he would approach Carter with. "I really needed about $5,000, and I decided I was going to ask Mr. Carter for $3,000. I went to work, then set up an appointment with him." Asbury worried about it, but he knew what this tournament would mean to Special Olympics and decided, "I am going to ask for all of it"--the whole $5,000.
The meeting began with a classic Asbury sincerity.
"How much do you need?" asked Steve Carter. "About $5,000," said Asbury. Carter didn't blink. "When do you want it."
With that, another great man bought into a dream.
Others came on board quickly. Mathis & Sons and Mark Ward have been major sponsors from the beginning. "These people are my heart," said Asbury. He went to the Du Quoin Jaycees and president Jim Dimitroff to see if they would donate the trophies. They would.
With pledges and trophies in hand "I was ready to go see Jo Dodd." She is the now-retired director of Area 15 Southern Illinois Special Olympics. That led to a meeting with her supervisors in the Highland, Ill. office and finally to a first meeting with everyone at Alongi's restaurant, also a sponsor. Since then he has worked alongside Area 15's new director, Paul Melzer.
In tow was a box of folders containing every detail of the proposed tournament. There was enough information and enough commitment to make his case for the tournament rock-solid.
"I had a traveling team that went 47-5," Asbury said. With that record and representing one of America's great philanthropies, the coaches he approached couldn't say "no." In fact, five years after the first tournament in 2010 more than 300 teams across the country are trying to get into this tournament. The 28 teams that participate lay down $400 to be in this tournament. One team scheduled to play this year (Midwest Express), but couldn't, sent their $400 anyway just to stay connected.
"I never dreamed that it would become this big," he said. "My drive is the people behind me, helping me," he said.
His relationship with Special Olympics has become exponential. He was named "Volunteer of the Year" two years ago. He commands the respect of everyone at Special Olympics. "I remembered ordering scoreboards. They came in and I was ashamed of them." "I talked to Illinois Special Olympics president Dave Breen about larger scoreboards and he said, 'You've got them."
"Now, Special Olympics is sending people down to see if tournaments like this can be held in other places," Asbury said.
In only five years, it is the largest individual event for Special Olympics. He said it would not be possible without the sponsors and volunteers who put their whole heart into this.
"My goal is to have one tournament that raises $100,000," Asbury said with a slight smile. "Then, I can retire."
Not so fast, mister. You're not done setting an example for all of us. You need to teach us how we can raise the bar on dignity and respect.
With respect to the Citizen of the Year honor, "When (chamber president) Gary Kelly called me to tell me, I was shocked. There was dead silence. He probably thought I hung up on him."
Bill's dad, Donald Asbury, passed away seven years ago. But, his mother, Opal Asbury, age 87, goes out to opening ceremonies.
"She still thinks I'm just a worker out there," he smiles.