Strides For Autism

Dear Family & Friends,

Here in South Carolina, we are again gearing up for the South Carolina Autism Society’s STRIDES FOR AUTISM.

Autism affects 1 in 150 children today. The rate for boys is 1 in 94. One of those boys affected is our son Michael, who was diagnosed in December 2007. Through lots of hard work and therapy, Michael is doing well. Like any child, Michael has BIG PLANS. Please watch Michael’s latest movie at http://www.theleibys.com/videos/Michael2009.wmv to learn about some of his BIG PLANS!

The purpose of the South Carolina Autism Society (SCAS) is to enable all individuals with autism spectrum disorders to reach their maximum potential. This is accomplished by:

· Providing information, assistance, and resources to families of children with autism;
· Providing support for South Carolina based research and development;
· Promoting and raise awareness that one in every 150 births in the United States today is a child with autism and 26,000 of those children and adults live in South Carolina; and
· Educating professionals and the general public.

Thanks to many generous donations, last year, TEAM MICHAEL was the 3rd largest STRIDES fundraiser in all of South Carolina. This year, TEAM MICHAEL is setting our goal even higher. We will not only participate in the walk in Greenville, but we will be “Striding Across South Carolina”, joining the walks in Columbia and Myrtle Beach.

We ask you to support Michael and the more than 28,000 in South Carolina living with autism. With this weakened economy, your donations are even more important. Due to state budget cuts, services for those with autism have been slashed significantly. And some services are disappearing altogether.

What are the ways you can you support us?

· Sponsor our team by contributing online at http://www.stridesforautism.org/participants.php?id=10. (Contact me for information on contributing by check.)
· Become a Corporate Sponsor. Sponsorships begin at just $100, and in-kind donations are welcome! (Contact me for additional information on Corporate Sponsorships.)
· Join us at STRIDES FOR AUTISM! (Contact me to find out more!)

Many thanks to everyone who is helping Michael and all those with autism achieve their Big Plans!

Sincerely,
TEAM MICHAEL
(Susan, Greg, Michael & Matthew Leiby)