A group of Union students will Rollerblade 2,000 miles, from Amelia Island, Fla., to Kittery, Maine, this summer, as part of “Rolling for Autism,” to raise money for scholarships for children with autism and to develop public awareness of the cause.
To support the project, the sisters of Sigma Delta Tau and brothers of AEPi are holding "Tie Dye for a Cause," selling Rolling for Autism T-shirts in Reamer Campus Center, beginning Saturday, May 12. The cost is $10.
A tie-dying event is set for Saturday, May 19, noon-5 p.m. on Rugby Field, featuring a BBQ and live music by students. Participants can bring something of their own to tie-dye for $3.
The Rolling for Autism Foundation was launched by Psychology major Dan Tatar ’07 of Queensbury, N.Y.
“We have the best possible group of individuals assembled, all working towards a great cause,” Tatar said. “This is a great opportunity for my friends and me to do something to help others and have a lot of fun along the way.”
Autism is the third most common developmental disorder in the United States, and by the next decade, it could affect 4 million Americans.
The fund-raising trip, which begins June 25, will include stops and events, such as cookouts, in small towns and in cities such as Savannah, Charleston, Washington, D.C., New York and Boston. With plans to skate roughly 40 miles each day, the skaters will be on the road for about eight weeks and will be joined by other team members along the way.
The Union group has garnered support from the Autistic Society of America, American Special Hockey Association and other organizations.
For more information, visit http://www.rollingforautism.com/.