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Autism support group donations reach $100,000 mark; fun fest next Saturday
A young Robert D’Eliseo, the inspiration for The Earthly Angels Autism Fund, with his mom, Brenda D’Eliseo.
Since its foundation nearly eight years ago, the Earthly Angels Autism Fund, part of the Luzerne Foundation, has more than exceeded its expectations. From its first fundraiser in 2001 the fund has committed to giving away the money it raises. Hosting charitable events from golf tournaments to a spaghetti dinners to the Ride for Robert which evolved into Reggae for Robert, the EAAF announced it recently reached the $100,000 mark in donations to programs benefiting children with autism.
This milestone was reached when the Earthly Angels awarded a $5000 grant to the Wyoming Valley Children’s Foundation earlier this year. The funding was provided to aid in the cost of a Music Therapy program for children with autism.
“It’s not so much the hundred thousand,” says Ron D’Eliseo, co-founder of the EAAF, “it’s the number of children that were touched by what we did.”
The Earthly Angels Autism Fund was founded in 2001 by D’Eliseo and his wife Brenda in honor of their son Robert, who was diagnosed with autism in 1998. The fund is dedicated to help increase autism awareness and to provide funding to other local nonprofit organizations aiding in services for autistic individuals.
Ever since the contribution for the Music Therapy program, many emails of gratitude and appreciation have been received by the EAAF.
“It’s stuff like this that really makes us feel good about what we do,” said D’Eliseo while reading an email from a parent whose child participates in the new Music Therapy program. “I’ll tell you what,” D’Eliseo said, “if I was a millionaire I’d have so much fun giving money away.”
But Earthly Angels will not stop here. They have a busy summer ahead of them preparing for their upcoming events. The hit of the summer will be their annual dinner-dance, Reggae for Robert, on Saturday, August 1.
The tropical island-themed event is the Earthly Angels Autism Fund’s largest fundraiser of year. Tickets for this adult only event are limited to 200. For more information or to purchase tickets please visit their website at www.earthlyangels.org or call Ron D’Eliseo at 570-655-8515.
Another upcoming event includes a Family Fun Fest on Saturday, June 27. All individuals with autism and their immediate families are invited to attend.
This occasion will be the first non-fundraising event held by Earthly Angels Autism Fund.
This free picnic will include food, ice cream, music, basketball, games, face painting, pony rides, a dee-jay, animals from Young’s Funny Farm and Jo Jo the clown.
The festival will be held at the Oblates of St. Joseph Seminary, 1880 Highway 315 in Laflin from noon to 4 p.m. To register for email [email protected], [email protected], or call 570-654-7542.
“Our theme was always, ‘giving back to the community’,” said D’Eliseo. “This time we literally wanted to give back.”
Below are just some of the grant recipients from the Earthly Angels Autism Fund of the Luzerne Foundation:
• $6000 to Jewish Community Center Summer Autism Camp
• Wyoming Valley Children’s Association for Music Therapy Program
• Misericordia University Autism Speech-Language and Hearing Center
• Friendship House for Autism Respite Program
• St. Josephs Center for Music Therapy
• CampEmerge Autism Summer camps
• Pocono Equestrian Center
• Swim program at Greater Pittston YMCA
• Allied Services/John Heinz Autism Program
• Luzerne Intermediate Unit #18 new Fluency Classroom Program
• Step-by-Step towards Autistic Behavioral Health Program
• Children’s Service Center of Wyoming Valley
• S.A.F.E. for Bowling for Autism Fundraiser