Donor Stories: Ewing Irrigation Products
Ewing employees make fundraising campaign for Autism Speaks a part of their annual running event.
On Saturday, Jan. 18, 2009, the night before the P.F. Chang's Rock ‘n' Roll Arizona Marathon and Half Marathon, Ewing Irrigation Products, a Phoenix-based wholesale distributor of landscape and irrigation products, hosted a pre-race spaghetti dinner for the 300 ‘Team Ewing' runners participating in the race.
For six years Ewing has been participating in this event, but this year the tone of the evening was extraordinarily different. There were the typical bouts of excitement and pre-race nerves, but along with the standard emotions were feelings of compassion, joy, selflessness and a sense of achieving success for the greater good.
Last October, Ewing announced they would complement their 5-year-old running challenge with a charitable element. Several different charities were discussed as possible candidates for the new initiative, but only one truly resonated with employees - Autism Speaks.
When Autism Speaks' greater Phoenix regional Walk director, Kathie Gadberry, walked up in front of the sea of Team Ewing runners to accept an oversized check for $50,000, Team Ewing erupted into applause. Applause rang out not only for exceeding the team goal of $20,000, but also in recognition of the positive affect this funding would have on those living with autism.
“I simply cannot fathom the quiet prison of emptiness fathers, mothers and other family members across our great nation must feel not being able to connect with their children emotionally,” said Ewing employee Roger Ramsey. “Autism is an invisible barrier, a disconnect often robbing parents of the emotional intimacy I relish with my own children.”
Ewing employees understood the urgency, enormity and responsibility behind this cause and came together to raise money for the kids across the country affected with this disorder. With over 500 personal donations from employees, friends, family, customers and vendors, Ewing pulled together to raise $30,000 for Autism Speaks. Company executives agreed to provide a corporate match of Ewing's original goal amount of $20,000, bringing the grand total to $50,000.
After the check was presented, 18-year-old Dillon York, nephew of company president Douglas York, drew the crowd's attention. As the crowd shifted their eyes to Dillon, who despite his lifelong battle with autism signed up to run the half-marathon, shared words of motivation and determination with his fellow runners: “Friends, family, co-workers and running partners: To Teamwork! We can do this together. Cheers to health, happiness and tenacity!”
And Dillon was right. All 300 Team Ewing runners passed through the finish line the following morning. But more than the satisfaction of finishing 13.1 or 26.2 miles, Ewing employees finished the race more educated about autism spectrum disorders and the importance of increasing autism awareness in their community and beyond.
“We're looking forward to partnering with Autism Speaks next year to raise even more funds for desperately needed research and advocacy,” said Douglas York. “When we crossed the finish line, we had more to celebrate than running a few miles. We knew we were giving children with autism hope and maybe one day some of them can run a half marathon like Dillon.”
For six years Ewing has been participating in this event, but this year the tone of the evening was extraordinarily different. There were the typical bouts of excitement and pre-race nerves, but along with the standard emotions were feelings of compassion, joy, selflessness and a sense of achieving success for the greater good.
Last October, Ewing announced they would complement their 5-year-old running challenge with a charitable element. Several different charities were discussed as possible candidates for the new initiative, but only one truly resonated with employees - Autism Speaks.
When Autism Speaks' greater Phoenix regional Walk director, Kathie Gadberry, walked up in front of the sea of Team Ewing runners to accept an oversized check for $50,000, Team Ewing erupted into applause. Applause rang out not only for exceeding the team goal of $20,000, but also in recognition of the positive affect this funding would have on those living with autism.
“I simply cannot fathom the quiet prison of emptiness fathers, mothers and other family members across our great nation must feel not being able to connect with their children emotionally,” said Ewing employee Roger Ramsey. “Autism is an invisible barrier, a disconnect often robbing parents of the emotional intimacy I relish with my own children.”
Ewing employees understood the urgency, enormity and responsibility behind this cause and came together to raise money for the kids across the country affected with this disorder. With over 500 personal donations from employees, friends, family, customers and vendors, Ewing pulled together to raise $30,000 for Autism Speaks. Company executives agreed to provide a corporate match of Ewing's original goal amount of $20,000, bringing the grand total to $50,000.
After the check was presented, 18-year-old Dillon York, nephew of company president Douglas York, drew the crowd's attention. As the crowd shifted their eyes to Dillon, who despite his lifelong battle with autism signed up to run the half-marathon, shared words of motivation and determination with his fellow runners: “Friends, family, co-workers and running partners: To Teamwork! We can do this together. Cheers to health, happiness and tenacity!”
And Dillon was right. All 300 Team Ewing runners passed through the finish line the following morning. But more than the satisfaction of finishing 13.1 or 26.2 miles, Ewing employees finished the race more educated about autism spectrum disorders and the importance of increasing autism awareness in their community and beyond.
“We're looking forward to partnering with Autism Speaks next year to raise even more funds for desperately needed research and advocacy,” said Douglas York. “When we crossed the finish line, we had more to celebrate than running a few miles. We knew we were giving children with autism hope and maybe one day some of them can run a half marathon like Dillon.”
Click here to donate to Autism Speaks
If you have a story you wish to tell about choosing to donate to or raising money for Autism Speaks, we'd like to hear from you. Please e-mail us at editors@autismspeaks.org.
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