HappyChucks   For Families Navigating the Autism Waters

Saturday night's Wine & Cheese Event capped off one of the craziest weeks we've had in a long time, and the results were worth the effort! Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, and the event went off without a hitch. (well, except a slight technical glitch.. darn Macs.) I saw a lot of great things during the night, but there were a few things I was most happy with:

Success. We ended up just short of our goal, but our goal was set high. This event raised a record amount for Kris' Camp – yea! And that was without a handful of notable people friendly to our cause, who couldn't attend for one reason or another.

Next year. After moving to a new venue last year, and then implementing some new behind-the-scenes changes for this year, we've set the stage to do even better next year. I'm confident we're going to beat this year's numbers by a long shot next year.

Raffle Winner. Watching the drawing for the winner of the Plasma HDTV raffle was the highlight of the event. The winner is a special needs teacher and reading specialist, who works at Kris' Camp during her summer "vacation". She is one of the most energetic and engaging people you'll ever meet, and our kids love her without exception. I think the whole room was rooting for her to win (as a second choice anyway, if they didn't win!), and was genuinely happy to see her accept the prize.

Here's a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who participated &/or attended. We really appreciate your support!

Here's a BIG CONGRATULATIONS to everyone involved in putting this together – you all did a great job and made this a great event!

We'll see you at Kris' Camp this summer, and then we'll do it all again next year! ;-)

Kris' Camp is a travelling summer camp program offering intensive therapy and education to children with autism and their families. We've been involved with the amazing folks from Kris' Camp for the last few years, and have been fortunate enough to attend camp the last two summers.

Cheryl is chairing the Silent Auction this year, which is going to be held this Saturday at St. Stephen's Hall – 16^th Street & Northern. I'm proud of the work Cheryl & her team (Michelle, Jen, and Tiffany) have put into this, and I'm looking forward to a great event!

Anyone is welcome to attend, buy raffle tickets, or make a donation. If you're reading this and you live in Arizona, there's no reason not to attend – you'll meet some great people, have a fun evening out, and help out a terrific cause.

It'd be great to see you there!

I had a chance to attend the KEEN (Kids Enjoy Exercise Now) town hall meeting earlier this week, and I came away from the meeting impressed with the people who are running it and with what they're trying to accomplish. They are absolutely dedicated to their mission, and they have a track record of success. They also have some pretty impressive corporate ties, sponsors, and "friends". Just as importantly, or maybe even more so, is that they know what they are and what they are not.

KEEN is not going to replace your current ABA program, or your other therapies, or your summer school/camp programs. They are not going to attempt to implement a full-scale, follow-the-rules game of basketball, baseball, or soccer. They are not imitating Special Olympics (although some of their athletes have gone on to compete in Special Olympics.)

KEEN is going to provide an outlet for your special needs athlete to burn off some steam, in whatever capacity he/she is capable of. They are going to provide one-on-one support in a semi-chaotic and free-flowing environment, where each athlete will be playing sports of his/her own choice and at his/her own pace. They encourage friendships among the athletes, volunteers, and parents. But mostly, they provide something for the athletes (and volunteers) to look forward to each week, and to enjoy. They provide side effects of increased coordination, self-esteem, and confidence. (and a little respite for parents!)

Applications are being accepted for athletes and volunteers. More info:

When? The program is scheduled to start on March 30^th. It's expected to be on Sundays and run for one hour. Exact times have not yet been determined.

Where? The initial location will be the Boys & Girls Club on 23^rd Ave & Missouri.

Cost? Free to both athletes and volunteers.

Commitment? Athletes will be asked to make a commitment to attend each week, as there will be a waiting list to join. Volunteers will have no commitments at all – show up whichever weeks you can.

Sign up form. as an Athlete or a Volunteer.

More Info? Visit http://www.keenphoenix.org/ for all the details.

I hope to see you there!

Hope Wine donates 50% of their profits to charity. No gimmicks, no caps, no limitations. They sell a bottle of wine, they make a donation to charity. They are currently offering 3 different types of wines, with the profits from each type of wine being tied to a different charity:

Cabernet Sauvignon profits support Autism related research and charities

Merlot profits support AIDS related research and charities

Chardonnay profits support Breast Cancer related research and charities

If you're the person in charge of buying the wine for this year's holiday festivities, you might want to consider supporting a company who supports these causes.

Read more about Hope Wine in an article by AZCentral.com (also available in a pdf format).