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.
