courtesy of: The Morning News
written by: Rosalie Klein
Fundacion Autismo Aruba, (FAA) Coordinator Natasha Richardson announced the foundation will be hosting a Puzzle Party for autistic children on Saturday, July 30 at the Aruba Racquet Club. This special afternoon, from 4:30 to 6:00 PM is officially sponsored by Aruba Trading Company and Burger King, which are donating food and beverages for this special afternoon allowing autistic youngsters to socialize and interact with each other. During a press conference at FAA headquarters in Oranjestad, Anna Maria Ramirez, representing ATC explained that Snapple beverages will be provided for the event as they are a recognized sponsor of Autism awareness efforts in the U.S. Snapple distributed a new flavor, Compassion-berry Tea, in coordination with Holly Robinson Peete, mother of an autistic child, who founded with her husband, NFL Quarterback Rodney Peete, the Hollyrod Foundation for families living with Parkinson’s Disease and Autism.
Other organizations on board to make it memorable are T.J. Palm, which has donated friendship bracelets for all participants and The Butterfly Farm, which will give out free passes to those attending and their parents. “Team Aruba,” which is very active on the NASCAR circuit, will be on hand with star driver Trevor Eman in a dedicated Autism Awareness uniform and one of their race cars to pose for souvenir photos with the children.
The weekend of August 6-7 there will be the inaugural Expo Salud at the Renaissance Convention Center in Oranjestad, and FAA will be one of the more than 80 booths and this groundbreaking and comprehensive health fair. They will host a booth with a wealth of information regarding Autism Spectrum Diseases, and give a 30 minute presentation regarding “Sensory Integration” developed by Dr. Valerie Paradiz PhD, an innovator in the field of autism diagnoses and treatment, and her technique of “Sensory Scan” will be demonstrated.
The second weekend in August will end on Sunday the 10th with the annual Aruba Way fundraising walk, this time with the theme, “Different, but not Less,” with all proceeds from the walk donated to the FAA. Natasha expressed their gratitude to Valero and the Valero Volunteers for selecting the FAA as the beneficiary of this year’s event; the funding will assist the foundation in expanding their services for families with autistic members as well as their educational program for the public.
Those interested in participating in any of the events can contact obtain more details by visiting their website: www.autismoaruba.org or calling Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, 588-1179.
