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Third annual golf tournament returns to fight autism |
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Reminder Publications photo courtesy of Heather Quinn
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By Natasha Clark
Assistant Managing Editor
Arthur Kenison listens to a CD thanks to equipment donated by the Radcliffe is the Reason and Arthur Too! Fight Autism foundation.
EAST LONGMEADOW The third annual Radcliffe is the Reason and Arthur Too! Fight Autism Golf Tournament and Dinner is on its way.
The tournament and dinner affair will take place on May 8 at the Hampden Country Club with registration beginning at 10:30 a.m.
Hosted by the Kenison family, money raised through the previous tournaments has already been making its way back to the community. East Longmeadow's Meadowbrook School and Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District's Green Meadows School have both benefited from the foundation in the 2008-2009 school year.
The Kenison family, comprised of Hampden Police Dispatcher/Reserve Officer Radcliffe, hair stylist Gina and their two boys Radcliffe, 8, and Arthur, 5, are well known for their yearly fundraising for Autism Speaks. Raising two boys with autism has made the couple adamant about spreading autism awareness. In addition to the annual walk their team, Radcliffe is the Reason and Arthur Too! participates in, three years ago they started a foundation with a similar name.
Heather Quinn, an applied behavioral analyst specialist at Meadowbrook, said the Kenisons have been an asset to the school.
"They have been amazing for the school and I think they have taught people a lot [about autism]," Quinn said. "The fact that they are turning something people would see as a negative into a positive ... they are incredible."
The foundation provided a new trampoline for the school's occupational therapy program, two new reclining chairs for the children to use during down time and a DVD camera for teachers to make videos of other children doing life skills such as playing with a ball or brushing their teeth.
"It is a way that [the students] can learn social skills or daily learning skills," Quinn, who has been teaching both Radcliffe and Arthur for close to five years, said. "You can stop it and replay it. They are such visual learners. The East Longmeadow School District has been amazingly supportive of our programs. In tough budget times it is always great to have something extra."
Greenmeadow received an Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills (ABLES) kit. A little under 20 children utilize the kit that measures the basic linguistic and functional skills of an individual with developmental delays or disabilities.
Teacher Rebecca Hildreth described the Kenisons as "incredible."
"They do so much for their own as well as helping out the community," Hildreth said.
That is why the Kenisons hope that they can get more sponsors on board to help their foundation continue to make a difference. Participants interested in playing in the four person scramble are encouraged to sign up as soon as possible since the tournament fills up extremely quickly.
The entry fee four a foursome is $440 and it includes greens fees, cart, lunch, Bogey barbecue dinner and prizes for the winners.
There will be a hole-in-one contest on every par 3 hole, and men's and women's long drive and closest to the pin competitions on all par 3 holes as well.
Tee and green sponsorships are available for $125. There is also a $565 sponsorship that includes tee sponsorship, company/family name promoted on a large banner displayed at dinner and foursome.
Radcliffe said with today's economy, his tournament gives the most bang for the sponsors and players' buck.
"[The tournament] isn't for one family or person. We give nationally, regionally and locally. Giving to us, they give to thousands of families," Radcliffe said.
Other foundation donations have included donating $1,000 to the Community Resources for People with Autism based in Easthampton, Mass., and sponsoring a speaker in the area through the Community Resources organization as well. The Kenisons hope to start a family grant program in the near future.
For more tournament information call 525-4728 or send an e-mail to radcliffe345@yahoo.com.
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