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CHL Mississippi RiverKings

RiverKings Set To Support Autism Benefit Golf Tournament

May 5, 2010 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Mississippi RiverKings News Release


SOUTHAVEN, MS --- The Mississippi RiverKings hockey team will once again make an appearance at Wayne Bartley's "Give a Kid A Chance To Be A Kid" autism golf tournament on May 13th at North Creek Golf Course in Southaven, benefiting DeSoto County Schools' Autism Early Intervention Program.

"The most memorable part of this tournament is when the golfers have lunch with approximately 150 children within the autism spectrum," said Bartley, a local builder and active advocate for children with autism. "The sponsors, volunteers, and participants get to interact with the kids and know why they are there for the day. They know they are making a difference in these kids lives by being a part of this event."

Lunch will be served at 11:30 a.m. for the golfers, the children and their families, followed by shotgun start at 12:45 p.m. One hundred percent of the funds will be donated directly to the Autism Early Intervention Program. This is the 10th year for this event, which has raised over $215,000.

"The DeSoto County Schools do a phenomenal job of educating these special kids," Bartley said. "Governor Haley Barbour has recognized them as the model school for autism education in the state. These funds help fund the extras like summer camps, teacher training, and other educational needs."

As a parent of a child with autism, Bartley can speak with first-hand knowledge of the struggles that come with autism education. Helping a child with autism is different than helping a mainstream classroom student because autism is a spectrum disorder, which means that the affected person's symptoms and characteristics can range from very mild to very severe.

"These kids are like snow flakes; no two are alike," Bartley said, whose son Justin is in the DeSoto County Schools' Autism Early Intervention Program. "So it's not like, 'you have autism so you do one protocol.' Each child must be assessed and an individualized education plan must be implemented to meet his or her specific needs. As a parent and educator, it's not just 'do this.' Its 'try this, then try this, then try this.' It's an exhaustive and frustrating process."

"One of the primary uses for this money will be to help fund Camp BOLD," Bartley said. "This is a week-long day camp run by The Dockery Foundation at Longview Baptist Church for children within the autism spectrum. There are three 1-week sessions. Ask any parent who has had a child attend this camp and they will tell you how much it has positively impacted their entire family."

Bartley said that now, as the parent of a child with autism, he is a much more patient and tolerant person.

"Having a special needs child also causes you to be much more empathetic," Bartley said. "What is your first thought when you hear a child cry or have a tantrum in public? Annoyed? Think badly of the child and/or parent? That was me. Now my first thought is concern for the child and persons accompanying them; even if the child is not special needs. Does the child not feel well? Are they over-stimulated in this situation and lack the ability to cope? The parents are many times somewhat embarrassed and feel like everyone is looking at them wondering why they can't control their child. I now look at the situation much differently than before."

Bartley's commitment inspired RiverKings assistant captain Louis Dumont to help form the team's "Assists for Autism" initiative. This assists-for-charity fundraiser was headed up by 2009-10 spokesperson and RiverKings forward Matt Summers, whose cousin Megan has autism. The fundraiser allows fans to donate an amount of their choosing per assist made by the team, or to give a one-time donation. The funds are donated to a field-of-interest fund by the same name at the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi.

Bartley said that his journey as a parent of a child with autism has changed the way he lives his life.

"Many parents (of children with autism) wake up every day not really knowing what kind of day they are going to have," Bartley said. "Your child tends to dictate your day based upon their mood and how they are feeling. But in retrospect, that is not entirely a bad thing. God asks us to live that way and not worry about what tomorrow will bring. Living each day with Justin has actually helped me through some challenging times by focusing on today."

To play in Bartley's tournament, call 662.893.8679 or call 901.550.1351. To get more information on the RiverKings Assists for Autism hockey pledge drive, call 662.342.1755.



Central Hockey League Stories from May 5, 2010


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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