As winter warms into spring, local charitable givers are being given the chance to shed their winter coats in favor of some sartorial splendor and a night out on the town.
The Lower Delaware Autism Foundation will present its sixth annual Autism Ball on the evening of Saturday, March 10, at the Baycenter in Dewey Beach, offering not only dinner, drinks and dancing but some rare prizes in the annual Auction for Hope.
The entire evening is aimed at raising funds for the LDAF, which in turn benefits local children and other individuals with autism and their families.
A recent federal study indicated that 1 in every 150 8-year-old children is diagnosed with the developmental and behavioral disorder, up from previous data of 1 in 166 children and decades of belief that only 4 or 5 in 10,000 children were affected.
No definitive cause of autism has been found, but scientists have pinpointed genetics as one element behind the autism spectrum of disorders, and research has focused on improved and earlier diagnoses, as well as treatment.
LDAF is a strong supporter of the Sussex Consortium — the Lewes school for children in Sussex County with autism — as well as other programs for autistic children.
So, each year, the Autism Ball Committee works to procure donations from businesses throughout the local area and beyond to put on the Autism Ball. Those who attend get an evening of dancing, with dinner and an open bar, as well as the annual auction.
“The Ball is a fun time supporting a worthy cause,” said co-chairs Beth Beitzel and Paige Cohan.
Donors have already been generous for the 2007 Autism Ball and Auction for Hope. Beitzel and Cohan said this year’s auctions will include a rare signed Honas Wagner baseball. (A rare Honus Wagner baseball card recently sold at auction for $2.3 million.)
Other auction items include a trip to see the Rachael Ray show in New York City, tickets to the 76ers and NASCAR, a diamond necklace from Bellinger’s Jewelers, vacation getaways and a fully stocked wine cooler.
A highlight of the evening will be LDAF’s Corvette raffle drawing, for a chance to win a 2007 3LT Monterrey red Corvette convertible, loaded with options and valued at $66,000.
Raffle tickets for the Corvette raffle are available at the Rehoboth Car Wash, by calling LDAF at (302) 644-3410 or by visiting www.ldaf.com on the Internet. There are just 1,500 of the $100 tickets available, and the winner need not be present at the ball to win — but the winner will be announced there, enhancing the excitement of the evening for all who attend.
Beitzel and Cohan said that a limited number of tickets for the annual Autism Ball are made available to the public each year. Tickets to the Ball cost $200 per person and are available by calling LDAF Program and Event Coordinator Melissa Tice Martin at (302) 644-3410.