Fwd: 04-15-2005 ASA-Net: Autism Awareness Day Returns to Shea Stadium; New Ve...

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ASA-Net

April is National Autism Awareness Month

The Autism Society of America'se-Newsletter

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April 15, 2005

Autism Awareness Day Returns to Shea StadiumNew York Mets, Florida Marlins Play April 17

On April 17, baseball fans and NAAM supporters will fill the stands at Shea Stadium in New York City, NY, and watch the New York Mets play the Florida Marlins while supporting Autism Awareness Day and National Autism Awareness Month (NAAM).

For a third year, Autism Awareness Day at Shea Stadium is an opportunity for families, friends, and the local autism community to join forces and raise autism awareness.

Attending the game will be New York City Councilman Tony Avella; WB11 news anchor Jim Watkins, who is also a parent of a child on the spectrum; and Maxine Agee, wife of former Met Tommie Agee, as the event’s honorary co-chair. Last year’s game attracted 5,000 supporters; organizers predict this year’s will top 10,000.

During the event, volunteers will staff information tables to answer questions related to autism and local services available, as well as distribute information. Following the game, attendees are invited to Cascarino’s Ristorante located at 152-59 10th Avenue in Whitestone for a dinner where 20% of the proceeds will be donated to programs and services that support children with autism. Guests are asked to bring their ticket stub.

Tickets are selling fast, but are still currently available. To purchase today or learn more about volunteering options, contact (718) 7-AUTISM (728-8476), x1016, or http://autismawareness.qsac.com/.

New Version of AutismSource™ Launched Online Directory Offers One-Stop Resource Referrals; Aims to Assist Parents, Professionals Seeking Services

With nearly 5,000 listed services, an enhanced version of ASA’s leading online searchable directory, AutismSource™, is available to parents and professionals.

New additions include keyword and zip code searches for services such as ASA chapters; camps and recreations; day schools; dentists; government agencies; physicians; psychologists and other service providers, to name a few. In addition, organizations with listings can now update their information directly, rather than submit changes through ASA.

AutismSource™ was launched in 2004 with support from The Ayco Foundation; the Autism Society of America Foundation; Pathfinders for Autism; and the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism.

The database can be accessed at http://www.autismsource.org/, or through ASA’s award-winning Web site, http://www.autism-society.org/.

In addition, AutismSource™ receives 2,000 unique visitors per day, making it a great vehicle for sponsorship opportunities. To learn more about sponsoring AutismSource™, contact Rochelle Zeidman at rzeidman@....

Call for Volunteers for California Event ASA Seeks Assistance for Upcoming Ride

Events hosted by Autism Society of America (ASA) would not be as successful without the support and generosity of committed volunteers. This year, ASA is calling for volunteers to assist with pre- and post-ride activities surrounding one of its most anticipated events of the year, Ride to the Wild Surf, featuring actor Shatner as Grand Marshal, as well as actor Enrique Murciano, star of CBS’s Without A Trace, on May 15.

ASA members and supporters are needed to fulfill roles, which include:

Six volunteers from 6 a.m. 10 a.m. at Glendale Harley-son, Glendale, Calif., to assist with registration and refreshment table set-up, and an additional 5 to manage registration tables from 7 a.m. 11:30 a.m. In addition, between 10 a.m. 6:30 p.m., ASA is asking 10 ride enthusiasts and beach fans to help with set- and clean-up at Leo Carillo State Park in Malibu, Calif., where the ride ends, as well as an additional 4 to greet patrons as they arrive and assist with badge distribution.

Volunteers will receive a free event t-shirt, lunch and one free pass to a post-event concert featuring entertainer Dean Torrance, co-founder of the Jan and Dean vocal group, with The Allstar Surf City Band.

Help ASA make this event a success! Contact Gill, events coordinator, today for more information at x124 or via e-mail at tgill@....

Registration for Ride to the Wild Surf is available on ASA’s Web site at http://www.autism-society.org/.

Dr. a Kluth to Keynote at ASA's 36th National Conference

ASA's 36th National Conference will officially kick-off with the Opening General Session, beginning at 9 am on Thursday, July 14, 2005 at the Nashville Convention Center in Nashville, Tenn. Dr. Kluth, Ph.D., M.Ed., is an independent educational consultant and an adjunct instructor at National-Louis University in Chicago, IL. Her professional and research interests center on differentiating instruction and on supporting students with autism and significant disabilities in inclusive classrooms