Autism Fundraiser Set for Las Vegas Market

January 10, 2010  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in on January 11, 2010 Furniture retailers, buyers, manufacturers, sales reps and suppliers attending the Las Vegas Market are invited to Ante 4 Autism, a fundraiser to support autism research.

Doug Krinsky, parent of a child with autism and sales manager for the Restonic Mattress Company, will co-host a Texas Hold 'Em tournament at Binion's in downtown Las Vegas on Tuesday, Feb. 2, at 7 p.m. The entry fee is $125. registration and donations can be made online or the day of the tournament starting at 6 p.m. Players must be 21, and $50 of each entry fee goes directly to Autism Speaks. Player sponsorships are available prior to and during the event.

"Autism spectrum disorders are diagnosed now in one in 110 children in the United States, affecting four times as many boys as girls," Krinsky said.

Additional hosts include Randy Coconis, owner of Coconis Furniture; Stuart Carlitz, president of Eclipse International; Phil Miner, sales manager at Symbol Mattress; Scott Graham, vice president of operations and general merchandise manager at PMD Furniture Direct; Jerry Williams, COO of PMD Furniture Direct; David Wachendorfer, vice president of sales development and retail training for Tempur-Pedic; and Joseph Amato, owner of Mattress Matters.

Special thanks to Kyle Doran, president of R & A Marketing, for his help on this event, as well as Marv Beneteau at RMG.
 
Prizes to be given away to tournament attendees include a Tempur-Pedic queen size set of bedding; a foursome of golf including Jerry Williams of PMD Furniture Direct at Ohio State University's "Scarlet" course, rated the number one collegiate golf course by the Golf Channel; a Restonic queen set of bedding; and two tickets to the Sept. 11 Miami Hurricanes/Ohio State University Buckeyes football game in Columbus, Ohio.

To donate or see donated items, sponsor players or register to play in the tournament go online, or stop by the day of the event at Binion€™s any time after 6 PM in the poker room. Checks also can be made payable to "Autism Speaks" and mailed to Doug Krinsky at 5405 Blackhawk Forest Drive, Westerville, Ohio 43082, or dropped off at the tournament.
         
"Our second annual event will raise funds to help families and give all of us in the industry the opportunity to give back and have fun at the same time," Krinsky said. "It is devastating to see the impact this disability has on families. Autism is now diagnosed in 1 in 110 children born today. We are optimistic that some day in the near future we can find the cause of autism, and prevent it."
         
Autism Speaks is dedicated to increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders, to funding research into the causes, prevention and treatments for autism, and to advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. It was founded in February 2005 by Suzanne and Bob Wright, the grandparents of a child with autism. To learn more about Autism Speaks, click here.