Events: SARRC: Beauty of a Bonzer

Come on, let's celebrate...a "Night of 100 Hits!"

Join SARRC, Outback, and 5 other valley charities at the 9th Annual Beauty of a Bonzer concert and party! This event takes place on October 17th, at US Airways Center.

Enjoy a delicious meal from Outback Steakhouse, and performances from both the Commodores and Kool and the Gang.

To reserve your table, buy tickets, or just learn more about the event, visit the Beauty of a Bonzer website.

Events: VLSA: Monday Night Out!

Are you ready for another Monday Night Out?

The VLSA staff is, and we hope you are, too!

Join us on Monday, September 14th for a fun night of badminton, Wii bowling, board games, pizza, and root beer floats!

As always, this event is for SARRC clients aged 13 and up.
All you need to bring is yourself, a good attitude, and the $30 fee.

Come hungry, because we're having pizza!

Where?: VLSA, 2225 N. 16th St.
When?: 5:00 - 8:00 PM
How much?: $30
Will it be fun?: ABSOLUTELY!

Please register by calling SARRC, (602) 340-8717

Events: VLSA: September Adult Outings

September Adult Outings @ the VLSA!

Autumn is here, and the VLSA staff has cooked up four awesome opportunities for our adults to get out and enjoy the fall weather in September.

This month, the VLSA staff has listened to your feedback, and organized these four diverse and special events in four different parts of the valley, making at least one of the outings easily accessible to all of our adult clients!

These outings include:

- Tour of the University of Phoenix Stadium
- Scottsdale Contemporary Art Museum
- Arizona Game and Fish Dept. Bat Workshop
- 2009 Chandler Hispanic Heritage Celebration

Want times, dates, and a few more details?

Email Erin Dunham at edunham@autismcenter.org for an event flyer to be sent straight to your inbox!

Events: VLSA: Monday Night Out - What a Success!

WOW! Hats off to our VLSA clients and staff!

The second Monday Night Out event (Monday, Aug. 3rd) was a wonderful success!

Our amazing VLSA clients had a blast, and everyone was a winner, be it at bingo, Pictionary, or Wii Bowling!

Hamburgers were made, delicious desserts were made...and, most importantly, new friends were made.

While these events are open to all our clients, most are male so there are usually more males than females that attend. One of our young women was feeling a little nervous about being around so many of our young men. At the beginning of the evening, she was hesitant to participate, hanging back and saving her input for VLSA staff. However, later in the night, one of our young men recognized the video game emblem on her shirt, and that was all it took to start off a friendly, spirited conversation between them. After that point, she opened up and shared her knowledge of video games, her artwork, and even her literary passions with many of those in attendance. Everyone was able to see what a talented, intelligent and sensitive person she is, and her participation made the evening all the richer.

Sometimes, all we need is just a little encouragement, and the right opportunities...it is especially wonderful when that encouragement comes in the form of a new friend with common interests.

Jeri Wheaton, a VLSA mom, was kind enough to write to us and tell her how special the evening was for her son.

"I can’t thank you enough for last night. He actually asked me the next one was almost as soon as he came out of the room. He actually said he wanted to come back!"

"On the drive home he talked excitedly about his time, (excitably for him!) He said he had fun! I asked if he was happy and he said he was… OH MY Goodness, He was happy, he had fun! I can’t even tell you the last time that I have seen him happy. Thank you a million times over, I am thrilled that he had a joyful evening! He told me 'I taught Ken how to bowl on the Wii and when he did good I cheered for him'… Oh My Goodness… my son cheered??? I am just beyond ecstatic that he had a great time!"

"Thank you for helping my son have a great time last night. He told me you were interested in his drawings, and the young lady in his room started it all off perfectly with him - asking for his help setting up the Wii, telling him he was a rockstar and making him feel special!!"

"Everyone seemed to genuinely care, and my son reads the genuineness really well so all of you must have really made him feel that you were truly interested in him for him to open up and talk so much."

"Words cannot explain how much joy it brought me to drive home with him happy and talkative. It is hard for a lot of people to understand, but my son is not a happy young man and it meant so much to me, that if for even one night, being at your event, brought him happiness."

Feedback like this means so much to our VLSA staff. The events are fun for us, too, and we love to see our clients enjoying themselves. Words of honest encouragement like Jeri's serve as an additional and much-treasured reminder of the importance behind the work we are happy to do.

A big thanks to all who attended - we hope to see you out next time!

Do you have a story about Monday Night Out, Aug. 3rd that you'd like to see here?

E-mail Amanda at aakdere@autismcenter.org.

Events: VLSA: Monday Night Out!

It's that time again!

Please join us at SARRC'S Vocational and Life Skills Academy on Monday, August 3rd for our Monday Night Out Event!

This event is for SARRC clients aged 13 and up.

Be ready to play some pool, show your Wii bowling skills and help us with dessert!

All you need to bring is yourself, a good attitude, and the $30 fee.

We will be having a hot dog and hamburger cookout!

Where?: VLSA, 2225 N. 16th St.

When?: 5:00 - 8:00 PM

How much?: $30

Will it be fun?: ABSOLUTELY!

Please register by calling SARRC, (602) 340-8717