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Allison Foundation plans casino night fundraiser
By Richard | May 2, 2007
Allison Foundation plans casino night fundraiser
Alexander Eubanks | Maryland Independent
The Allison Foundation, a local nonprofit whose goal is to help families with autistic children, has seen continued growth since its launch last year, according to its founders, and is ready to kick off its third fundraiser.
The group will hold a casino night and silent auction May 5 in Ironsides.
“The foundation raises money to pay for therapy and care of autistic children that is often not covered by insurance companies,” said Gina Nairn, vice chairwoman of the group.
“The best cure is early intervention,” Nairn said. “Physical therapy, occupational therapy and things of that sort are not covered by most medical insurance.”
The Allison Foundation was co-founded by Nairn’s husband, George. Both decided to start the nonprofit after inviting a friend with an autistic child, Allison, to stay in their home last year.
“We got to learn firsthand what life with an autistic child was like,” Nairn said. “She really just inspired my husband.”
Autism is a developmental disability that usually appears during the first three years of life. It is believed to be the result of a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain, impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills, according to the Autism Society of America.
“The world is a scary place for autistic children,” Nairn said. “It takes an immense effort to help and be able to communicate with autistic children.”
The Allison Foundation raises money through fundraisers. So far, they’ve had two - a golf tournament and a bowling tournament. The golf event was more successful, according to Nairn, raising $2000, while the bowling tournament raised about $500.
“We treated our golfers to a steak dinner,” Nairn said. “We were impressed by our first effort. We were thrilled everyone had such a good time.”
Nairn said the foundation has spent more than $1000 on therapy for Allison, with very little spent on anything else.
Nairn said she is receiving help from the Southern Maryland Autism Resource Team to promote the event.
She said admission is free for parents of autistic children because the foundation would like to give them a night out for all their efforts and struggles.
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