Dorsey & Whitney, Medtronic Honored by Arc Hennepin-Carver

Arc Hennepin-Carver has presented its Corporate Partnership Awards for 2003 to Dorsey & Whitney LLP and Medtronic, Inc. The presentations were made at Arc's annual meeting and awards ceremony on May 13, 2004, at the Minnetonka Community Center.

The Corporate Partnership Award recognizes private sector organizations whose collaboration and/or financial support has helped Arc Hennepin-Carver achieve its mission and has promoted an increased understanding of people with mental retardation and related developmental disabilities.

Dorsey & Whitney has a long and extensive association with Arc. In 2003, the firm was instrumental in providing legal assistance to copyright Arc's logo and develop a licensing agreement allowing other Arc chapters in Minnesota to use the logo. The firm also conducted trademark searches for logos and names of several other Arc programs and operations and trademarked the design of three logos.

William Hibbs of Dorsey & Whitney has been a member of Arc's board of directors since 1998 and has also served on numerous volunteer committees, as have other Dorsey & Whitney staff members. In addition, the firm has been very successful in hosting Arc's annual Rose Sale at its corporate headquarters, and the Dorsey & Whitney Foundation has provided major support for Arc's Visions & Victories Capital Campaign.

Medtronic and The Medtronic Foundation have also worked closely with Arc in a variety of ways. The Medtronic Foundation has provided three years of significant funding for Arc's "What's the Big IDEA?" program and has also awarded grants to support Arc's work with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Medtronic was the first corporation to offer "What's the Big IDEA?" at the workplace for Medtronic employees who have children with disabilities. The company has also organized employee groups to volunteer at Arc's Value Village Thrift Stores and hosted Arc's annual Rose Sale. In addition, Medtronic is notable for its leadership in hiring people with disabilities and recognizing the value they bring to the workplace.

Arc Hennepin-Carver is a United Way-affiliated nonprofit agency that has been working in Hennepin and Carver counties since 1946 to secure opportunities for children and adults with mental retardation and related developmental disabilities and their families to live, learn, work and play as they choose.

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