The staff at the Flutie Foundation would like to thank Jenn Gamberdella and Jim McDermott for their participation in the Boston Marathon as part of Dougie's Marathon Team! While training for this grueling run, they each found the time to raise funds for the Foundation and brought in a total of over $8,000! Thank you both!
And thank you to Tom Carey who generously allows our team to meet at his home in Hopkinton each year. Tom is an incredibly selfless and generous guy and owner of Jaime Oil in Ashland, MA.
For anyone who hasn't ever been to Hopkinton for the start of the Marathon, I recommend making the trip out there at least once in your life. There is amazing energy in the town the morning of the race with tens of thousands of people mulling around and preparing for the experience. I must have heard 5 different languages just walking down Main St. to get a coffee!
Me and my daughter made our way over to the start line to watch the Impaired athletes and Women's Elite runners start and the excitement in the crowd as the gun went off each time was incredible. Dick & Rick Hoyt are truely two of the most remarkable people you will ever hear about. For those of you who are not familiar with them, here's a little excerpt from an article by David Tereshchuk:
"Dick and Rick Hoyt are a father-and-son team from Massachusetts who together compete just about continuously in marathon races. And if they’re not in a marathon they are in a triathlon — that daunting, almost superhuman, combination of 26.2 miles of running, 112 miles of bicycling, and 2.4 miles of swimming. Together they have climbed mountains, and once trekked 3,735 miles across America. It’s a remarkable record of exertion — all the more so when you consider that Rick can't walk or talk."
Each year when I go to Hopkinton to watch the start of the Marathon, I am sure to be there to see the Hoyts take off with the rest of the "impaired" participants. It's incredibly uplifting to watch. For anyone looking for a little inspiration, please visit their website and learn about this incredible father/son team.
Well, thank you again to Jenn & Jim for all of your efforts! The Foundation will be applying to the BAA to once again be an official charity of the Boston Marathon for 2010. Here's hoping that we are selected! It's always a great experience!
Chris Chirco
Director of Programming
Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
Flutie Foundation Partners with Find A Cure Panel
Here's your chance to share your opinions in vital research!
As a valued friend of the Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism, you can make a difference! By joining Find A Cure Panel for parents and caregivers of people with Autism, you will be empowered to share your opinions in vital research.
What's more, for each survey you complete a minimum donation of $25 is made directly to the Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation on your behalf. Registering is fast, free, and your privacy is completely protected.
Visit this link to sign up now, and thank you for your continued support!
Chris Chirco
Director of Programming
The Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism, Inc.
As a valued friend of the Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism, you can make a difference! By joining Find A Cure Panel for parents and caregivers of people with Autism, you will be empowered to share your opinions in vital research.
What's more, for each survey you complete a minimum donation of $25 is made directly to the Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation on your behalf. Registering is fast, free, and your privacy is completely protected.
Visit this link to sign up now, and thank you for your continued support!
Chris Chirco
Director of Programming
The Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism, Inc.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Autism Awareness Day at the State House - SIGN THE PETITION!
We need your help!
Deep cuts in Family Support Funds, Autism Division Funds and the DESE/DMR program are proposed in the State budget for the coming year. These are the funds that provide critical services to families like respite and flexible funding for supports in your homes, and fund the Autism Support Centers and the programs they run. Advocates for Autism of Massachusetts (AFAM) will be presenting a petition to key legislators on Autism Awareness Day, April 28th, asking them to restore these funds to the levels at which they were funded in last year's budget before the cuts began. Add your name to the petition even if you cannot come to the State House that morning. Just email (lisa@flutiefoundation.org) a list back to us with the names of your family members (those with ASD, siblings, parents, grandparents) who will be impacted by these cuts, and the city or town where they live, and we'll add their names to the petition. If you'd like, email a photo of your family member and we'll copy it and include it with the petition so that our legislators can see the faces of the folks who will feel the impact of these budget cuts.
Help us send a powerful message on Autism Awareness Day that we need to restore these funds for critical services. Thank you!
Deep cuts in Family Support Funds, Autism Division Funds and the DESE/DMR program are proposed in the State budget for the coming year. These are the funds that provide critical services to families like respite and flexible funding for supports in your homes, and fund the Autism Support Centers and the programs they run. Advocates for Autism of Massachusetts (AFAM) will be presenting a petition to key legislators on Autism Awareness Day, April 28th, asking them to restore these funds to the levels at which they were funded in last year's budget before the cuts began. Add your name to the petition even if you cannot come to the State House that morning. Just email (lisa@flutiefoundation.org) a list back to us with the names of your family members (those with ASD, siblings, parents, grandparents) who will be impacted by these cuts, and the city or town where they live, and we'll add their names to the petition. If you'd like, email a photo of your family member and we'll copy it and include it with the petition so that our legislators can see the faces of the folks who will feel the impact of these budget cuts.
Help us send a powerful message on Autism Awareness Day that we need to restore these funds for critical services. Thank you!
Monday, April 6, 2009
Eastern Bank Flutie 5K, Cigna Falmouth Road Race and Other Stuff
Well, it looks like we can officially say that the Eastern Bank Flutie 5K will be on October 4th at MetroWest Medical Center again this year. Thank you so much to Eastern Bank and MWMC for your continued support! More information on this event will be posted on our website as it becomes available, so check back often.
We are also very excited to announce that the generous folks over at the CIGNA Falmouth Road Race have donated 15 numbers to our Foundation for this year's race on August 9th! If you are interested in being a part of Dougie's CIGNA Falmouth Road Race Team, please email me at cchirco@flutiefoundation.org. Each member of Dougie's team will have to raise a minimum of $750 for the Foundation in exchange for the number. These numbers will go fast and we'll offer them on a first come, first serve basis so contact me soon!
If you haven't done so already, become a fan of the Flutie Foundation's Facebook page! As a fan of our Facebook page, you will be eligible for certain fan-only offers for our events.
Speaking of our upcoming events (that may or may not include special prices to our Facebook fans, wink wink) our Golf Classic is just over two months away on June 22nd & 23rd! We're very excited about our new Pre-Tournament Party venue - the Hard Rock Cafe in Boston! This year tickets to the party have been reduced to $75 from $150 and include food and select drinks! Also, there are still various sponsorships available, including the new "Golf 2-Some" sponsorship which includes golf for two people at the Golf Classic at Pinehills, 4 tickets to the Pre-Tournament Party as well as many other perks. For more information about the different golf sponsorships available, please visit the Golf Classic page on our website.
Chris Chirco
Director of Programming
The Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation
We are also very excited to announce that the generous folks over at the CIGNA Falmouth Road Race have donated 15 numbers to our Foundation for this year's race on August 9th! If you are interested in being a part of Dougie's CIGNA Falmouth Road Race Team, please email me at cchirco@flutiefoundation.org. Each member of Dougie's team will have to raise a minimum of $750 for the Foundation in exchange for the number. These numbers will go fast and we'll offer them on a first come, first serve basis so contact me soon!
If you haven't done so already, become a fan of the Flutie Foundation's Facebook page! As a fan of our Facebook page, you will be eligible for certain fan-only offers for our events.
Speaking of our upcoming events (that may or may not include special prices to our Facebook fans, wink wink) our Golf Classic is just over two months away on June 22nd & 23rd! We're very excited about our new Pre-Tournament Party venue - the Hard Rock Cafe in Boston! This year tickets to the party have been reduced to $75 from $150 and include food and select drinks! Also, there are still various sponsorships available, including the new "Golf 2-Some" sponsorship which includes golf for two people at the Golf Classic at Pinehills, 4 tickets to the Pre-Tournament Party as well as many other perks. For more information about the different golf sponsorships available, please visit the Golf Classic page on our website.
Chris Chirco
Director of Programming
The Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation
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