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Merokian Craig Allen, well-known television meteorologist, lent his talents to the event with hosting duties and keeping the skies clear for the day.

The 2010 Long Island Walk Now For Autism Speaks was held at Jones Beach Field 5 on Sunday and by all accounts it was a tremendous success.   Many Merokians support the event, and some of them were essential in making this one of the most successful autism walks in the nation: Michael Giangregorio, the Long Island Walk Now For Autism Speaks chairman, was proud of the way the event came together with the help of thousands of volunteers.  

Michael’s son Nicholas, 9, was diagnosed with Autism at two years old. Mr. Giangregorio, with the help of his wife, Alison, and his older son Michael, 11, have put together an army of volunteers to make this event reach new heights.   Mr. Giangregorio is listed in the Autism Speaks website as one of the top five donor collectors for the Long Island walk, with over $20,000 in donations to date.

“A lot goes into planning an event like this. The cost of this walk is a fraction of the costs of other walks mostly because most of the items supplied were donations. We create a city in an empty field,” Mr. Giangregorio said.   “Autism is at the highest that it’s ever been.  The ratio of kids diagnosed with autism has gone from 1-in-250 to 1-in-110.  

At this point the feeling is that there is a genetic predisposition with an environmental trigger,” added Mr. Giangregorio.  State Senator Charles J. Fuschillo Jr. agreed with Mr. Giangregorio to “urge Governor [David] Paterson to sign the autism insurance reform bill on his desk so that individuals with autism can get their treatments covered by insurance.” Mr. Giangregorio is also concerned about a state moratorium on group homes and added, “These children will grow into adults as a grossly underfunded community. You need funds to get treatment. Treatment helps you get better.  

The better the treatment, the better they can assimilate into the community.” Nicholas Giangregorio is a member of Boy Scout Troop 123 sponsored by Sacred Heart Church. Troop 123 helped set up for the autism walk the day before. The day of the walk, Troop 123, above, had 35 Scouts and nine Scout leaders helping out the cause.   Frank Berberich, Troop 123 scout-master, noted, “The Boy Scouts are always dedicated to helping the community.  We are out here today helping other people, fulfilling our oath.”

Many of the walkers wore  T-shirts bragging about what “team” they were walking with. Christine Vollkommer, Chase branch manager in Merrick, was a proud member of Team Perseverance, which walks for four-year-old Aaron Guerrero.   Aaron’s mother, Christine, hoped that by raising funds and awareness, “future kids won’t have to walk.” Ms. Vollkommer has a friend with a low-functioning autistic child who had a rare moment of showing emotion with a hug, and it “touched my heart,” she commented. Joan Read, on the executive committee for Long Island Walk Now For Autism Speaks, declared, “It is a great day for families with autistic children.  They are among their peers and they feel the warmth of the people around them.  For the families, it is comforting being among people that understand, protect and help their children.”

Dr. Kimberly Williams, Autism Speaks Long Island science and research chairperson, was also busy helping raise awareness and getting the science end of it covered. Dr. Williams noted, “It is important to build awareness about how prevalent autism is.  No matter what your philosophy or ideology about autism is, we all have the same goal of wanting our children to have every opportunity in society that they can possibly have.”  She added, “This walk builds awareness and helps us gain funds for investigation and research both locally and nationally.”

“It’s amazing that we can get 30,000 people in one location for one cause,” said Dr. Williams. Long Island Walk Now For Autism Speaks was supported by several celebrities, including Temple Grandin and movie producer Emily Gerson Saines. An HBO film recently profiled Ms. Grandin’s life.  Celebrity Chef Christopher Lee of Aureole and his volunteers donated and served an impressive spread of food at the event’s VIP tent. 

Someone quite familiar to the walk is Craig Allen, chief meteorologist of WCBS 880 AM radio and a Merrick resident since 1992.  Mr. Allen started helping out the Long Island Walk Now For Autism Speaks in 1997, and he has been at the event year after year to see it grow and succeed.   “The walk is a tremendous eye-opener to see the different levels of autism,” Mr. Allen observed. “The numbers keep going up and so does the need for funding.  I’m proud to say that many have told us that this is the strongest autism walk in the country,” declared Mr. Allen, who also emcees several Autism Speaks awards dinners and luncheons.  

He also observed how the increased awareness has helped society from just saying “that kid is shy” or being a bullied kid to diagnosing and treating autism much better with today’s younger children.   Mr. Allen hopes that “Eventually, we will find a cure or at least a way to stop it.”  

Mr. Allen’s son, Garrett, 18, has Asperger’s syndrome, which is on the autism scale. When Mr. Allen told Merrick Life that Garrett had just started Nassau Community College, he had more than a little hope and pride in his voice, and a big smile. The common sentiments shared at this year’s walk included a community coming together to share their hope and dreams for their children, and that through awareness and research they can be a vital part of our society.   It was an event filled with smiles and support and love. You can make a donation at www.autismspeaks.org.  We can all use a little hope.

By Al Belbol

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