Birchtree’s students, families, staff, board, and friends commemorated Autism Awareness Month this April with Active & Aware: A Fitness Challenge for Autism Awareness Month. All participants set a personal health or fitness goal to pursue that month. Some walked, some ran, some biked, some did yoga or meditation, some played basketball, some lifted weights, and some ate their vegetables! Students and staff also enjoyed trying a variety fitness activities at school and in the community.
Participants asked family and friends to support their efforts with donations to Birchtree–and we raised over $19,000 for Birchtree’s Student Support Fund! The top fundraisers received awards about our Spring Open House on May 11.
Thank you to OPL Charities, Coed Sportswear, Kennebunk Savings, People’s United Bank, and Bisson Realty Partners- Keller Williams Coastal, Lakes & Mountains for their generous sponsorship of the event. And thanks also to Mission Portsmouth, LA Beatz Dance Studio, Barnes & Noble Portsmouth, and Margaritas Dover for hosting Birchtree fundraisers that month. Volunteers from Autism Speaks U at the University of New Hampshire also helped make the event fun for our students by hosting a Fitness Egg Hunt at Birchtree–thank you, Autism Speaks U at UNH!
All donations went to the nonprofit Birchtree Center’s Student Support Fund, which underwrites essential educational and therapeutic equipment, supplies and services for students with autism–as well as admission-free Autism Q&A Sessions for families living with autism in our community.
To donate to Birchtree’s Student Support Fund, click here and write “Student Support Fund” in the comments.
