Connecting through technology to spread the A-A-E message!

How many individuals with ASD do you know?  How many people who care for, educate, or otherwise serve individuals with ASD are among your friends and family?  In this Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn world of connections, the world is continually made smaller by technology.  We appreciate you registering for our blog updates.  Are you a member of our Facebook Cause http://apps.facebook.com/causes/187118/22149057?m=81484ff1 or LinkedIn Group http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1867598?  If not, check us out!  It's a great way for us to maximize our ability to communicate effectively with you.  We appreciate your feedback on our discussion topics and your support of the autism awareness-acceptance-empathy mission.

Let some of your connections know about Good Friend, Inc.  We are booking summer opportunities for first responder and camp staff training on autism.  We are also looking forward to coming to your area school to provide a staff in-service on autism and social support before the first day of school, or during your fall scheduled in-service opportunity.  Contact us to find out more.

Hoa Aloha Autism Awareness Bowling Event update!

Registration forms are now available!  Team captains, please send an email to Chelsea or Denise with your snail mail address to get yours today.  Space is limited, so the first 30 teams to get their completed form and $100 registration fee in will be accepted.  If you know of a company that can sponsor your team, have them cover the registration fee!  If you have an employer who will match your donation, be sure to tell them about Good Friend!

The $100 registration fee includes two games each and shoe rental for as many as six bowlers, plus snacks and beverages.  Please, no bowlers under age 3, and there must be at least one member per team age 21 or older.  Proper adult supervision is required at all times.

Get your Hawaiian costume together now, as there will be a prize awarded to the team with the best beach attire!  Prizes will also to to the individuals with the Highest Score, Most Strikes, and Most Gutter Balls, plus the Top Fund Raiser (team and individual).

Packets will be mailed to all registered team captains the week of March 23rd.  Bowlers are encouraged to raise pledges (cash or check only, please) to be turned in on the day of the event, Sunday, April 26th.  The event will run from 12:30-3:30 p.m. at Sunset Bowl Entertainment Center in Waukesha.  Prize winners need not be present to claim their prizes at the event's conclusion.  A bake sale and themed portraits will be on-site as well.

Event ($1,000) and Lane ($100) sponsorships are still available.  Contact Chelsea for more information.

Hoa Aloha means Good Friend in Hawaii.  Show us what Good Friends you are here in metro Milwaukee!

Hoa Aloha Autism Awareness Bowling Event

Mark you calendar now and get your team together for our first annual "Hoa Aloha Autism Awareness Bowling Event" to benefit Good Friend, Inc., Sunday afternoon, April 26, at Sunset Bowl in Waukesha.  Food, friends, family, and fun will all be included in this Hawaiian-themed get-together.  Event and team sponsorships are available.  Contact Chelsea (chelsea@goodfriendinc.com, 414-510-0385) or Denise (denise@goodfriendinc.com, 262-391-1369) for more information.  Details will be posted soon!

World Autism Awareness Day

What are you doing to mark World Autism Awareness Day?  Did you know that Thursday, April 2, will be the second time the United Nations has taken measures to recognize the global impact that autism spectrum disorders have?

Perhaps you'll tell someone about autism.  Maybe you'll attend a scheduled event (check www.worldautismawarenessday.org for more information).  Maybe you'll have that conversation with your child who has autism you've been meaning to have for a while -- the one where you let him know that we are all different, but that he has something extra special about him.  Maybe you'll read her Different Like Me: My book of autism heroes by Jennifer Elder.

Maybe you have been blessed enough that you can donate toward an organization that promotes autism awareness.  If so, please consider donating to Good Friend.  Your gift is tax-deductible and will be applied directly toward programs that create autism awareness, teach acceptance, and foster empathy.

You can donate through this website, through our Facebook Cause http://apps.new.facebook.com/causes/187118?m=c9c4601a&recruiter_id=22149057, or by mailing a check to Good Friend, Inc., 808 Cavalier Dr., Waukesha, WI 53186.

If you're an educator or school administrator, contact Chelsea or Denise to invite Good Friend to come to your school to provide a staff in-service, general student assembly, and/or peer sensitivity workshop.  We can travel outside our service area for a modest mileage allowance.

However you observe the day, be sure to thank someone who cares for a child or adult with autism.  We certainly appreciate you!

Happy Holidays!

On behalf of the board directors and co-founders of Good Friend, Inc., THANK YOU to all who donated to, attended, sponsored, volunteered at, and otherwise supported our first annual "Tackling Autism Awareness" event held at Steinhafels in November!  We raised some $3,500 to promote our awareness-acceptance-empathy message.  Not bad for a first year event!  We hope next year's is bigger, better, and bursting at the seams with silent auction bidders.

We would be lost without the dedication of our Fundraiser Task Force members: Renee Gilhart, Pam Haselow, and Jolanta Juozaityte put an incredible number of hours into the planning and execution of this event.  We appreciate you so very much!

If you would like to help plan future events, please get in touch with Chelsea or Denise.  We hope to get organized in early 2009.

As you and your family count your many blessings this year, we wish you a very happy holiday season.  Please keep Good Friend in mind for your year-end giving.  All donations are tax-deductible.

LAST DAY for advance ticket prices!

Today, Friday, Oct. 31st, is the final day to save $2 per ticket for our "Tackling Autism Awareness" event.  Did you hear about our silent auction prizes?  Holiday shopping made easy!  Here's the latest running list:

- 2 NFL footballs signed by members of the 2007-08 Green Bay Packers (one with Brett Favre's signature!) in protective display cases

- overnight stay at the Milwaukee Marriott West (Waukesha)

- Steinhafels gift certificate

- 2 Good Friend local service and merchandise packages -- one with a general student assembly (valued at up to $500!) and the other with a staff in-service (more than $100 value)
- $100 gift certificate to Bartolotta's (from Mary Catherine Poker, ShoreWest Realty)

- Weber portable gas grill (Pam Haselow, Brookfield)

- Longaberger "Movie Night" basket (Laura Belkin, Waukesha) 
- gift certificate for a pedicure from Signature Salon & Spa (Waukesha)
- 3 handmade afghans in Good Friend colors

- Kids Do children's hair product basket and Pick 'n' Save gift card package
- decorative blown-glass bowl by Craig Derby (Portland, Ore.)
- original hangable art by Molly Roberts of Dollhouse Machine Gallery (Milwaukee)
- custom-painted chair (Geraldine Krysiak, Brookfield)

- handcrafted stained glass piece (Denise Schamens, Brookfield)
- 3 framed color photos (two underwater and one of a Argentine bridge) by Craig Derby (Portland, Ore.)
- Tupperware package (Renee Gilhart, Waukesha)

- PartyLite gift basket (JoAnne Ayers, Brookfield)
- Pampered Chef basket
- Mary Kay package (Dawn Imes, Waukesha)

- cooler packed with Miller products (The Gilharts, Waukesha)
- gift certificate for $50 for Stone Fire Pizza (New Berlin) with a family 4-pack of tickets to the Mukwonago Village Players' "Nutcracker" (Shelly Dretzka, Mukwonago)
- two premium ticket vouchers to a Waukesha Civic Theatre performance and a fondue set (Jeannette Schamens, Delafield)

- 2 tickets to the Waukesha Symphony Orchestra's November show and a $100 gift certificate plus two drink vouchers for Jake's (Denise Husslein, Brookfield)

- Milwaukee Wave ESL premium family package (Brad Beach, the Wave mascot, will be at the event to welcome guests!) 
- 2 Club Glove golf bags (Wild Impact Marketing, Wauwatosa)
- Penzey's Spice basket

- 2 collectible Clothtique Santas: Christmas Glow and Santa's Snow Day (Jeannette Schamens, Delafield)
- chimney sweep from Quality Fireplace & Chimney Service (Mike Schamens, Brookfield)
- massage and facial from Jolanta's European Spa (Waukesha)

Get your tickets TODAY through the website.  If you don't want to use PayPal, contact us (Chelsea: 414-510-0385, chelsea@goodfriendinc.com; or Denise: 262-391-1369, denise@goodfriendinc.com) and we'll work with you for an alternate payment method.  If you miss today's advance ticket deadline but still wish to have tickets available on a will call basis, contact us for arrangements.

Spread the word!  We hope to see you at Steinhafels' Community Room (ground floor, enter by the "movie ticket" window) next week!

Chelsea and Denise on "The Morning Blend"

Did you catch us live on Tuesday with Alison de Castro and Molly Fay on WTMJ-4?  If not, go to http://www.themorningblend.com/NewsArticle/tabid/1474/xmid/26283/Default.aspx

That link may not work next week, but if you go to www.themorningblend.com and search for Good Friend, I'm sure you'll find the video clip.

Pictures of our kids with ASDs and their good friends were featured along with B-roll from our DVD.  Information for our "Tackling Autism Awareness" event was also posted.

Thanks to executive producer Kim Buchanan for having us back, and to the sound guy for jumping up onto the set with that mic in the middle of the segment.  Ahh ... technology.