HEAL Zoo Walk for Autism April 26

Catch up with the latest updates on local events and great activities from HEAL!

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March 2015

In this issue:

Register Today! Walk on the Wild Side at the HEAL Zoo Walk!
DEAL for HEAL Celebrity Poker Tournament a Huge Success
Upcoming Events in Northeast Florida

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Register Today! Walk on the Wild Side at the HEAL Zoo Walk!

Sunday, April 26

Join forces with HEAL for the annual HEAL Zoo Walk for Autism on Sunday, April 26, at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. Mark Autism Awareness Month by joining old friends and making new ones! Last April we had over 1,400 participants support and raise funds to assist those in our community with Autism. The teams raised over $60,000, with the proceeds going to benefit Autism programs and education on the First Coast.

Tickets for the event are $15 per person ages 13 and up and FREE for kids 12 and under. The ticket purchase allows you to join the HEAL Zoo Walk and enjoy the entire day at the Jacksonville Zoo.

Registration will open at 7:30 AM and the walk begins at 8:30 AM. After the walk, join Patty Crosby, First Coast News morning anchor, at the Party with Patty sponsored by Nimnicht Family of Dealerships. The party will take place immediately following the walk on the Zoo's Great Lawn and will feature bouncy houses, face painting, music and more!

The top three fundraising teams will win a prize, and may also designate a school, camp or program to receive funds from HEAL: 1st Place - $500, 2nd Place - $250, and 3rd Place - $150. The selected organization or school must fall under the HEAL grant guidelines directly helping those with Autism in our community.

More Info & Registration

Click here to have a table at the Great Lawn.

If you'd like to be a sponsor - click here.

DEAL for HEAL Celebrity Poker Tournament a Huge Success

The DEAL for HEAL Celebrity Poker Tournament, benefitting those with Autism, was a huge success in raising nearly $15,000. One hundred poker players participated in the tournament held at bestbet Jacksonville. Ten celebrity “bounties” were each assigned to a table of 10 players. The tournament continued until two players were left standing. The poker champ was Jerry Watterson, winning a trip to Las Vegas, round trip airfare, a stay at the Monte Carlo, and tickets to see the Blue Man Group. Shane Herbert was runner up winning a weekend stay at the Ritz Carlton Amelia Island.

Special thanks to Jamie Shelton of bestbet Jacksonville who presented HEAL with a check for $1,500. Thanks also to Patrick Kilbane and the Young Lawyers Section for graciously choosing the HEAL Foundation as the benefactor of their event. HEAL board members Jacksonville Jaguar Ziggy Hood, wife Sara Hood, and Melissa Ross, host of WCJT's First Coast Connect, also tried their luck at the tables.

The real winners in this event were the many children, teens and adults affected by Autism. The money raised will go towards local camps, programs and schools across the Northeast Florida area.

Upcoming Events in Northeast Florida

DATE	EVENT
Ongoing	Social Skills and Support Groups - Dr. Maria Tapia, Licensed Psychologist with the UF/Jacksonville's CARD Program, runs several support groups for adolescents and adults with Asperger's syndrome, as well as for the siblings and mothers. If you are interested in joining any of these groups or gathering additional information, such as date, time and ages, please contact Dr. Tapia at maria.tapia@jax.ufl.edu or 904-633-4330.
March 5	Parent Support Group Meeting at Keystone Behavioral Pediatrics. Monthly meeting with different topics each month. Join Keystone at their offices at 6867 Southpoint Drive North, Suite 101 from 6:00 to 7:00 PM. Visit them at keystonebehavioral.com.
March 5-6	Teaching Language to Children with Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities - 2 day free workshop at UNF's University Center, 12000 Alumni Drive, Jacksonville. Participants will gain a greater awareness of Behavior Analysis as a Science of Learning. A focus will be on utilizing B.F. Skinner's analysis of Verbal Behavior to assist in the acquisition of language skills for children with developmental disabilities. Participants will also receive training on effective teaching procedures and building instructional control. You must register by February 27 to Cassandra Tuohy at (904) 744-5110 or jerichoschool@yahoo.com.
March 6	Arlington Little League - Challenger Baseball Program 2015 - Registration is open for boys and girls ages 6 and older. Play ball on Friday nights at 6350 Ft. Caroline Rd in Arlington. Play starts in March and completes on May 15. If Interested contact Henry Douglas at 904-743-7092. There is no registration fee!
March 11	Seventh Annual Autism Symposium will take place at the University of Florida Unversity Center. Speakers include Bryan H King, MD, MDB, and Raphael Bernier, Ph.D. More information coming soon.
March 13	Camp I Am Special Applications Due! - Catholic Charities hosts this annual overnight camp experience for kids with disabilities. Camp experience helps campers grow in independence and social skills. The program is unique in that it provides the one on one support of nurses, staff, college aged leaders and high school buddies. A Board Certified Behavior Analyst is always onsite, as is registered nurse. Activities include: swimming, pony rides, hayrides, fishing, waterslides, dances, arts & crafts, yoga and talent shows. Visit www.campiamspecial.com for more information or email campiamspecial@ccbjax.org.
March 14	Bowling Buddies - Join Inclusion Solution at Beach Bowl on Beach Boulevard for 4 lanes of fun! Educators and therapists are on hand to facilitate social interaction. This is a great activity for children and teens with Autism, and the parents enjoy connecting with other families. Meet Mary and her team at 12:30 PM. Register in advance by emailing inclusionsolution@gmail.com.
March 20-22	Deliver the Dream - Retreat weekend providing structured family centered activities offering respite, relaxation and recreation for families with children on the Autism Spectrum. Located at Camp Weed in Live Oak, Florida, this weekend is at NO expense to the family. Click here for more information or email autumn.mauch@jax.ufl.edu.
March 26	CARD Annual Spring Fling - Join CARD and the Easter Bunny for this fun annual event at CARD from 5:30 - 7:30 PM. Enjoy game rooms, dancing, face painting and Easter crafts. Bring your camera for a special photo with the Easter Bunny!
March 28	Peer to Pier Fishing - Fishing off the Jacksonville Beach Pier. Great activity for children and teens with Autism, and for parents to connect. To register, contact Mary Erickson-Verdi at inclusionsolution@gmail.com or 904-994-1005.
March 28	Sensory Friendly Films: Home - AMC & ASA are bringing families an opportunity to go to the movies in a safe accepting environment on a monthly basis. Lights are brought up, sound is turned down, and families may bring their own snacks. Movies are shown at the AMC Regency 24 at the Regency Center Square. All viewings are held at 10 AM. Click here for more information.
April 2	Parent Support Group Meeting at Keystone Behavioral Pediatrics. Monthly meeting with different topics each month. Join Keystone at their offices at 6867 Southpoint Drive North, Suite 101 from 6:00 to 7:00 PM. Visit them at keystonebehavioral.com.
April 11	Bowling Buddies - Join Inclusion Solution at Beach Bowl on Beach Boulevard for 4 lanes of fun! Educators and therapists are on hand to facilitate social interaction. This is a great activity for children and teens with Autism, and the parents enjoy connecting with other families. Meet Mary and her team at 12:30 PM. Register in advance by emailing inclusionsolution@gmail.com.
April 18	Access Life Expo Tour 2015 - Free event for individuals and families living with disabilities from 10-2pm at Bethesda Park, Keyhaven Blvd in Jacksonville. Boat rides, games, arts and crafts, food and fun! Register to participate or volunteer at www.access-life.org.
April 18	Sensory Friendly Films: Underdogs - AMC & ASA are bringing families an opportunity to go to the movies in a safe accepting environment on a monthly basis. Lights are brought up, sound is turned down, and families may bring their own snacks. Movies are shown at the AMC Regency 24 at the Regency Center Square. All viewings are held at 10 AM. Click here for more information.
April 20	11th Annual JSA Golf Classic - Join JSA at Deerwood Country Club for their annual golf outing. Shotgun start at 9 AM. Visit jsakids.org for more information.
April 25	Peer to Pier Fishing - Fishing off the Jacksonville Beach Pier. Great activity for children and teens with Autism, and for parents to connect. To register, contact Mary Erickson-Verdi at inclusionsolution@gmail.com or 904-994-1005.
April 25	Flavor Run Jacksonville - Taste the Flavor! Bring the family out for this fun 5K and 1-mile fun run at Nocatee. Register here.
April 25	Arc Village Meet & Greet - Sessions will include important updates regarding construction, services and some "sneak previews" of what life for Arc "Villagers" will be like. There will be save the date reminder in February with more complete details. Attendees are required to submit a residential interest form in advance to attend the event. Please visit arcjacksonville.org for more information.
April 26	HEAL Zoo Walk For Autism! Registration now open! Join HEAL at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens for another fun HEAL Zoo Walk for Autism! This great day includes seeing the Zoo before other guests, and an after party Party with Patty sponsored by Nimnicht family of dealerships! Visit HealAutismNow.org for more information or to register. See you all for another fun filled day at the zoo!
May 7	Parent Support Group Meeting at Keystone Behavioral Pediatrics. Monthly meeting with different topics each month. Join Keystone at their offices at 6867 Southpoint Drive North, Suite 101 from 6:00 to 7:00 PM. Visit them at keystonebehavioral.com.
May 9	Bowling Buddies - Join Inclusion Solution at Beach Bowl on Beach Boulevard for 4 lanes of fun! Educators and therapists are on hand to facilitate social interaction. This is a great activity for children and teens with Autism, and the parents enjoy connecting with other families. Meet Mary and her team at 12:30 PM. Register in advance by emailing inclusionsolution@gmail.com.
May 23	Peer to Pier Fishing - Fishing off the Jacksonville Beach Pier. Great activity for children and teens with Autism, and for parents to connect. To register, contact Mary Erickson-Verdi at inclusionsolution@gmail.com or 904-994-1005.
June 13	Bowling Buddies - Join Inclusion Solution at Beach Bowl on Beach Boulevard for 4 lanes of fun! Educators and therapists are on hand to facilitate social interaction. This is a great activity for children and teens with Autism, and the parents enjoy connecting with other families. Meet Mary and her team at 12:30 PM. Register in advance by emailing inclusionsolution@gmail.com.
June 15 - July 31	Social Superheroes - Navigating through the social world of childhood and adolescence is not an easy task. The CARD course is designed to help your child become more adept at making and keeping friends, handling conflict, and standing up for themselves when necessary. The group meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Contact Michele at michele.bellbadger@jax.ufl.edu.
June 27	Peer to Pier Fishing - Fishing off the Jacksonville Beach Pier. Great activity for children and teens with Autism, and for parents to connect. To register, contact Mary Erickson-Verdi at inclusionsolution@gmail.com or 904-994-1005.
June 27	Sensory Friendly Films: Inside Out - AMC & ASA are bringing families an opportunity to go to the movies in a safe accepting environment on a monthly basis. Lights are brought up, sound is turned down, and families may bring their own snacks. Movies are shown at the AMC Regency 24 at the Regency Center Square. All viewings are held at 10 AM. Click here for more information.
July 18	Sensory Friendly Films: Minions - AMC & ASA are bringing families an opportunity to go to the movies in a safe accepting environment on a monthly basis. Lights are brought up, sound is turned down, and families may bring their own snacks. Movies are shown at the AMC Regency 24 at the Regency Center Square. All viewings are held at 10 AM. Click here for more information.
August 3-6	One Week Study Strategies Camp Designed for Middle School Students - Keeping up with homework, planning for long term assignments, learning to read effectively, and studying for tests can be quite difficult for many middle school students. This week long CARD camp will equip middle school students to be organized with their school assignments, manage time well, and become test-wise. Contact Carolyn at carolyn.fagen@jax.ufl.edu.
September 7	The Great Ponte Vedra Paddle! Join us for the 4th Annual Great Ponte Vedra Paddle benefiting HEAL. Stand Up Paddle board races, and an "Anything that Floats" Challenge make this fun for the whole family. See you at Mickler's Landing.
September 26	Sensory Friendly Films: Hotel Transylvania - AMC & ASA are bringing families an opportunity to go to the movies in a safe accepting environment on a monthly basis. Lights are brought up, sound is turned down, and families may bring their own snacks. Movies are shown at the AMC Regency 24 at the Regency Center Square. All viewings are held at 10 AM. Click here for more information.
October 17	Sensory Friendly Films: The Jungle Book - AMC & ASA are bringing families an opportunity to go to the movies in a safe accepting environment on a monthly basis. Lights are brought up, sound is turned down, and families may bring their own snacks. Movies are shown at the AMC Regency 24 at the Regency Center Square. All viewings are held at 10 AM. Click here for more information.
November 14	Sensory Friendly Films: The Peanuts Movie - AMC & ASA are bringing families an opportunity to go to the movies in a safe accepting environment on a monthly basis. Lights are brought up, sound is turned down, and families may bring their own snacks. Movies are shown at the AMC Regency 24 at the Regency Center Square. All viewings are held at 10 AM. Click here for more information.
December 5	Sensory Friendly Films: The Good Dinosaur - AMC & ASA are bringing families an opportunity to go to the movies in a safe accepting environment on a monthly basis. Lights are brought up, sound is turned down, and families may bring their own snacks. Movies are shown at the AMC Regency 24 at the Regency Center Square. All viewings are held at 10 AM. Click here for more information.