Sweetwater Zumbathon to Raise Awareness and Funds for Autism
Saturday, May 4, 11 a.m.
Jorge Mas Canosa Youth Center
250 SW 114th Avenue
Sweetwater, FL 33174
Tickets cost $20 in advance, and $25 at the door. Purchase Online.
The City of Sweetwater has joined forces with the D Amor Foundation for Autism and is hosting a Zumbathon.
Come out and join City of Sweetwater Mayor Manny Maroño along with an all-star lineup of Zumba instructors to help raise money for families affected by autism. Money raised by the event will help families affected by autism by funding activities such as taekwondo, soccer, music, art and speech and occupational therapies.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in 50 children is diagnosed with autism or a related disorder. Autism is a developmental disorder that affects a child’s ability to communicate, process sensory information and also affects social functioning. According to Autism Speaks, autism is the fastest-growing developmental disability in the U.S., and costs a family about $60,000 a year. There is no medical detection or cure for autism, and boys are nearly five times more likely than girls to be affected.
The D Amor Foundation was founded by Maria and Jose Montalvo in honor of their son, Diego, who was diagnosed with autism at age two. Their goal is to help families affected by autism in South Florida and Puerto Rico find resources and access to therapies that can be costly and are not covered by traditional health insurance.
“This is a fun way for families to come together to help children battling autism,†says Maria Rivero Montalvo, president of the D Amor Foundation. “We’re here to provide hope and support. With the money raised by this Zumbathon, we will be able to help fund programs that can make a huge impact in these children’s lives.â€
The D Amor Foundation’s mission is to provide hope, and to help children with autism achieve a better quality of life by providing families with resources, educational tools and access to therapies such as speech, occupational, art, music and sensory integration, all of which are integral to managing the disorder.
The event will be led by Zumba Jammer Meli Kirkwood along with Miami Zumba Instructors Zumba Carrie, Eli Pereira, Susan Luria, Henray Cedeño, Janet RenterÃa, Maria Amelia Linares-Hemelberg, Marie Lourdes Buitrago, Morgan Zumba Cuenvo and Yvette Orozco.
Maria Marin, international speaker and author, will be the presenter.
