About Me
College Students Rollerblade 2000 miles to help Children
with AutismWhile most college graduates are looking for their first job or applying to
graduate schools, several Union College graduates and students are taking a slightly
different path. Union College Senior Dan Tatar started a foundation to raise money and
awareness for Autism. With the help of a team of over 60 students from Union College
and across the country, RollingForAutism has grown from an idea into a reality. The
goal of this foundation is to raise $500,000 in scholarship money for children with
Autism, and to develop public awareness of this important cause. They also plan to target
a new demographic for their fundraising efforts – the college student. The charitable
donations will be used to help children attend camps and educational programs
throughout the country.Beginning in June 2007, several newly retired collegiate ice hockey players will
be rollerblading 2,000 miles, from Amelia Island, Florida to Kittery, Maine. The trip will
include stops and events in small towns as well as major cities including Savannah,
Charleston, Washington, D.C., New York and Boston. With plans to skate roughly 40
miles each day the skaters are looking to be on the road for about 8 weeks this summer
and will be joined by other members of the team along the way.Autism is the third most common developmental disorder in the U.S. and by the
next decade it could affect 4 million Americans. RollingForAutism Founder Dan Tatar’s
older brother, Ben, is an inspiration to many as he has overcome obstacles presented by
Pervasive Developmental Disorder. Ben’s story serves as a positive example of how
people with challenges such as Autism and PDD can move forward and accomplish
certain goals in areas such as writing, education, and athletics.With the help of various programs, it is possible to overcome some of the
challenges that Autism and PDD present. The RollingForAutism team hopes to enable
individuals across the country with Autism Spectrum Disorders to achieve some of their
goals. Already the group has garnered support from the Autistic Society of America and
many other organizations involved with Autism.
Autism is a spectrum disorder, and although it is defined by a certain set of behaviors, children and adults with autism can exhibit any combination of these behaviors in any degree of severity. Two children, both with the same diagnosis, can act completely different from one another and have varying capabilities.
