BOARDMAN Event set to raise money for Rich autism center
The goal is to raise $20,000 for a playground for autistic children.
BOARDMAN -- A dinner-variety show to raise money for an autism research center will be March 11 at Mr. Anthony's in Boardman.
Titled "Autistically Speaking (But Rich in Hope)," it will benefit the Rich Center, a regional facility for the treatment and study of autism located on the Youngstown State University campus.
Bo Wagner, who captures the music and style of Frank Sinatra, will be the featured star of the show. Television personality Frank Marzullo of WFMJ-TV 21 will serve as master of ceremonies.
The Entertainers, which consists of Pat Padula, John Angelo and Pam Condoleon, will also perform.
There will also be an auction, raffle and door prizes.
Doors open at 6 p.m. for dinner, with the show starting at 8 p.m.
The price for the entire evening is $50 per person. To make reservations, call (330) 565-4619. Tickets are also available at Greenwood Chevrolet in Austintown and Market Motors in Boardman.
First show raised $7,000
This year's show is the second. Last February, the Parents Organization of the Rich Center had a variety show and auction as an experiment in fund raising for the school.
Four hundred people attended the event, which raised more than $7,000. The goal this year is to raise $20,000 to build a playground for autistic children.
The Rich Center was established in 1995 with the memorial funds donated after the deaths of Paula (Rubino) and Anthony Rich and their unborn child in the USAir crash near Pittsburgh International Airport in 1994. The center has a unique mission: to prepare educators, medical specialists, other professionals and para-professionals in the best practices to help people with autism; to increase knowledge of autism through scholarly research; and to provide public service and advocacy on behalf of those affected by autism.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the fastest growing developmental disorder, now affecting one in 166 children, as reported by the U.S. Department of Education and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is a neurological disorder with no known cause and no known cure.
Early diagnosis and specialized programming boost a child's chances of achieving his full potential. At the Rich Center, children with autism learn to communicate effectively and also learn social and behavioral skills along with academic skills.