ACT Today! (Autism Care and Treatment Today!), a national non-profit organization whose mission is to provide care and treatment to children with autism, announces Hollywood celebrities will play in its 6th Annual Charity Golf Classic on Monday, August 27, 2012 at the North Ranch Country Club in Westlake Village, California. Confirmed celebrities include actors DB Sweeney ("The Closer"), Jason Gedrick ("Dexter"), Kevin Sorbo ("Hercules"), Robert Constanzo ("Castle"), and Geoff Pierson ("Boardwalk Empire"). The tournament is presented by Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD) and hosted by actor Joe Mantegna (“Criminal Minds”). The charity tournament will benefit military children with autism.
“It’s amazing to have all these influential celebrities along with several members of the armed services who have children with autism join this year’s golf tournament,” says ACT Today!’s Executive Director Nancy Alspaugh-Jackson. “Proceeds from this event will make it possible for us to provide access to therapy, medical care, assistance dogs, special needs camp, entrance into special needs school, social skills programs, assistive technology, and even safety equipment to military children with autism.”
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in every 88 children in America is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), making ASD more prevalent than juvenile diabetes, childhood cancer and pediatric AIDS combined. These disorders are characterized, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal/nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors. They include Autistic disorder, Rett syndrome, Childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD), Pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) and Asperger’s syndrome.
Corporate sponsors of the 6th Annual Charity Golf Classic, include (as of August 15, 2012): Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc. (CARD), TWIW Insurance Services LLC, Land Rover Thousand Oaks, Vista Ford, Newport Rib Company, Retirement Benefits Group, Howard Building Corporation, Special Spirits, Swett & Crawford, Black Hill Farms & Family Vineyards, The Kuperstock Family, Kirsch Kohn, & Bridge, LLP; The Tom Haymann Family, Orion Risk Management Insurance Services, Inc., Calabasas Dental, Logix Smarter Banking, Silver Star Automotive Group, David Wild, JTB Insurance Services, LLC, and Trillium Sports Medicine.
The 6th Annual Charity Golf Classic Committee Chairman is Josh Eveland of Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc. Other committee members include: Tagg Baker of TWIW Insurance Services, LLC; Jonathan Bruce of JTB Insurance Services, David Carmel of JD Financial, golfer Greg Goad, Cal Lutheran Student Shayne Romero, Dr. Michael Spagnoli of Trillium Sports Medicine, Justin Walker of FTF Properties, Darin Wassmann of Retirement Benefits Group, and ACT Today! Founder/President Dr. Doreen Granpeesheh.
The tournament begins with a shotgun start at 10:30 am and includes a modified “best ball” format, par 3 challenges & other contests, followed by cocktails and dinner reception. For more information about ACT Today!’s 6th Annual Charity Golf Classic, visit www.act-today.org/golftournament.