Accordingly, the Mari Hall Family Foundation is pleased to report that our fundraising efforts for 2011 far exceeded 2010, in great part due to Miles of Smiles and year long contributions from individual donors and friends.  As a result we will be donating $10,000 to the Darcey School Early Intervention Center, a 33% percent increase (yeah!) over last year.  The money has been earmarked in part for the purchase of several new Ipad tablet computers for the EIC’s use with children in their programs.  The tablet technology and functionality has proven very promising in the area of language acquisition and expression among persons on the autism spectrum and those facing other challenges.  (For a very heartwarming and encouraging report regarding their use and the success educators have found using the Ipads, please check out Lesley Stahl’s 60 Minutes feature, “Apps for Autism”, which originally aired in November 2011)

Additionally, we will be donating $2,500 to the Autism Spectrum Resource Center in Wallingford.  ASRC has been at the forefront of support and advocacy for and on behalf of families dealing with autism for over fifteen years.  They are a terrific organization and one that provides services and information for families throughout the state. 

I imagine the story in our family is the same as many with children with autism:  it was the observations of a caring loved one outside of our home who was concerned and encouraged us to have our daughter, Mari, assessed.  In our case it was my mother, Maureen, who gently – but firmly – noted Mari’s behavior diverging from her twin sister, Kate’s, and that whatever might be at stake, it was better to confront it head on as early as possible.  Whether we were in denial or just hopeful, that parental push was instrumental in our efforts to get have Mari assessed and in a Birth to Three program only weeks after her second birthday. 

Maureen passed away on December 16, 2011, and we take great comfort in the fact she was able to witness first hand the great strides Mari has made over the past four years.  And mom would’ve been so humbled and pleased in the number of memorial contributions made in her name to our Foundation, as are we.

It is fitting, then, that through those contributions and the efforts of all of our volunteers, donors, runners and other supporters, we will be offering in 2012 the Maureen C. Hall Memorial Scholarship, which will be a $1,000 grant to a graduating Cheshire High School senior who has demonstrated compassion and friendship through volunteer work to children with special needs throughout his or her high school career, and who plans to pursue a Special Education degree in college.  We will provide further details on our Facebook page and our website as the application criteria is finalized and developed over the next few months. 

Looking Forward in 2012

We look forward to staying in touch with all of you throughout the upcoming twelve months, and to finding new and creative ways to raise funds for our cause, in addition to our hallmark, Mari’s Miles of Smiles.   There are so many worthy causes that seek to raise money globally, nationally, regionally and locally, and we are grateful that so many have given so much to our Foundation, particularly in these uncertain economic times.  Here’s to a healthy and prosperous 2012 for everyone