SAN DIEGO COMMUNITY RAISES THOUSANDS FOR MILITARY CHILDREN WITH AUTISM ON WORLD AUTISM DAY

ACT Today! (Autism Care and Treatment Today!) announces the inaugural ACT Today! for Military Families (ATMF) 5k/10k Run and ONEHOPE Family Festival, held Saturday, April 2, 2011 on Fiesta Island in San Diego, a huge success. The ATMF 5k/10k Run raised over $85,000 with the highest fundraising team, CLB 5, raising $6,620. The event was supported by 60 teams, 1075 registered participants, countless volunteers and many generous sponsors which included: ONEHOPE Wine, Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc. (CARD), Ralphs, Butterfly Effects, Legoland California Resort, TriWest Healthcare Alliance, Wells Fargo, Allied American University, Granite Investment Group, zpizza, ABC News 10, and Sophie@103.7[U1] . In-kind donations were provided by Newport Rib Company, Stone Brewing Co, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Gatorade, and AJA Fine Jewelry.



“It was an inspiring day to see the San Diego community come together with military families in support of children with autism.  Funds raised will help defray the out of pocket costs autism brings and help lighten the load our brave military families shoulder today,” says ATMF Campaign Director and Marine wife Karen Driscoll.

According to Department of Defense data, it is estimated that 1 in 88 military children have autism. Autism is a complex neurological disorder. Research shows, in the treatment of autism, early intervention and intensive behavioral therapy, including ABA therapy, are imperative to success.

“One percent of America may be fighting our wars, but 100% of America can help support their families here at home.  We are truly inspired by San Diego’s support and the number of people who came out on Saturday and joined us in this very important mission,” says ACT Today!’s Executive Director Nancy Alspaugh-Jackson. “Their generous support of the cause and their commitment to military families is amazing.”

The ONEHOPE Family Festival followed the ATMF 5k/10k Run. Actor Mark Christopher Lawrence (“Terminator: 2”, “Pursuit of Happyness”, TV sitcom “Chuck”), Actor Jack Scalia, Actress KayCee Stroh (“High School Musical: 1, 2, 3”) and Radio Personality Jennifer White (Sophie FM 103.7) hosted the free event, with entertainment provided by Singer/Dancers 2-U-Neek, American Idol’s Luke Edgemon, Recording Artist artist Ricky J, Recording Artist Won-G, Singer/Actor Austin Anderson, Musician Sophie Rose, and Musicians Graceland Mafia.

Many of Hollywood’s young stars attended the festival and signed autographs, including: Actress Madison Leisle (“Desparate Housewives”, “Criminal Minds”), Erik Fellows (“Days of Our Lives”), Actress Isabella Rae Thomas (“Brothers and Sisters”), Actress Caroline Sunshine (“Shake it Up”), Actress Julianna Rose ("Pretty Little Liars"), Actress Jennessa Rose (“Crazy Stupid Love”), Actress Kayley Stallings (“The Dog Who Saved Christmas Vacation”), Actor Zach Callison ("Hannah Montana"), Actor Ty Panitz (“Bones”), Actor TJ Burnett (“Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader”), Actress Danika Yarosh (“Billy Elliot”), Actor Adam Irigoyen, Actor Derek Bloom (“Kids on the Porch”), SpongeBob, Actor Doug Brochu (“Sonny with a Chance”), Actor Chris Brochu (“Lemonade Mouth” and “Soul Surfer”), Actor Parris Mosteller (“Judy Moody”), Actor Aedin Mincks (“Faster”), Weathercaster Kerstin Lindquist (ABC 10), News Anchor Steve Atkinson (ABC 10), and Actor Jeremy Shada (“Adventure Time”).

ACT Today! for Military Families (ATMF), is a national nonprofit campaign that works to improve awareness and delivery of effective autism services, and provides financial assistance to military families to help defray out-of-pocket costs associated with autism treatments, services, and other quality of life programs. ATMF is a specially funded campaign through ACT Today! (Autism Care and Treatment Today!), a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to raise awareness and provide treatment services and support to families to help their children with autism achieve their full potential.

For more information about ACT Today! for Military Families national campaign, visit: www.acttodayformilitaryfamilies.org. Tax-deductible donations can also be mailed to: ACT Today! for Military Families, 19019 Ventura Blvd., Ste. 200, Tarzana, CA 91356.

 About ACT Today! (Autism Care and Treatment Today!):
ACT Today! is a national non-profit organization whose mission is to raise awareness and provide treatment services and support to families to help their children with autism achieve their full potential. ACT Today! for Military Families (ATMF) is a dedicated fund to assist military families impacted by autism. ATMF works to improve awareness and delivery of effective autism services, and provides financial assistance to military families to help defray out-of-pocket costs associated with autism treatments and other quality of life programs.
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CELEBRITIES at ATMF ONEHOPE Family Festival

  Autograph signings & Photos
will be inside  
  the RED & WHITE Tent  




CHECK OUT THE PERFORMERS - CLICK HERE!
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CONFIRMED SUPER COOL CELEBRITIES
Actor Nolin Gould (“Modern Family”)

Actress Caroline Sunshine ("Shake it Up")


Actress Julianna Rose ("Justin Bieber, Never Say Never", "Pretty Little Liars")

Erik Fellows (“Days of Our Lives”)


Actress Jennessa Rose (“Crazy Stupid Love”, “Ponyo”)

Actor Zach Callison ("Hannah Montana")

Actress Danika Yarosh (“Billy Elliot”)

Actor Derek Bloom (“Kids on the Porch”, “iCarly”, “Victorious”)
SpongeBob




Actor Doug Brochu (“Sonny with a Chance”)


Actor Chris Brochu (“Lemonade Mouth” and “Soul Surfer”)

Actress Joey King (“Ramona and Beezus” and “Battle LA”)


Actor Aedin Mincks (“Faster”)

Weathercaster Kerstin Lindquist (ABC 10)

News Anchor Steve Atkinson (ABC 10)


Actor Bobby Soto (“Lie to Me”)

Actress Haley Pullos (“General Hospital”)


Actor Ty Panitz ("Bones")


Actor Parris Mosteller ("Judy Moody")

Actor Jeremy Shada ("Adventure Time")

Actress Isabella Rae Thomas ("Brothers & Sisters")



CHECK OUT THE AWESOME PERFORMERS
CLICK HERE!!!

HE PERFORMED FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA & CLINTON - NOW AJ GREEN TO PERFORM AT THE ATMF ONEHOPE FAMILY FESTIVAL


Meet AJ Green at the 
ATMF ONEHOPE Family Festival
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Fiesta Island - San Diego

Battling a life-threatening illness is a curse, but it can also be a blessing, as you'll hear when you meet an 18 year old singer from Las Vegas named AJ Green. AJ suffers from Sickle Cell Disease, a genetic blood disorder that causes excruciating pain, with attacks coming on without warning and the pain so great that the teen ends up in the hospital, sometimes for weeks at a time. Singing since he was a toddler, the disease became a blessing when Make A Wish Foundation granted AJ's wish to record with a professional producer. Make A Wish liked AJ so much they then asked him to represent them at various events and at one he was discovered by a Hollywood talent agent who became his biggest fan. Since then AJ has been surrounded by a who's who of great writers, musicians and producers all working to assemble his first full-length album called "Whatever You Need". A collection of pop, r&b and even a couple of gospel songs, the tracks were all donated after the various producers and writers heard this young man's amazing voice. 


"I don't want my music to be only about my pain or my hurt. I want it to be about victory over any situation... to let you know that no matter what you may be experiencing, you will make it through."
The voice and the recording have started opening even more doors for AJ. Over the past year he sang for both President Clinton and President Obama, was featured on local television and in national magazines and appeared with David Foster's band at the Andre Agassi Foundation Grand Slam for Children where he was surprised to be singing with Jennifer Hudson and opening for Elton John. Along the way he has continued to promote Make A Wish and is becoming a spokesman for the Sickle Cell Disease Association. AJ hopes to bring attention to a major illness that disproportionately targets African-Americans. But he wants to reach, and inspire, the broadest possible audience.



ATMF ONEHOPE FAMILY FESTIVAL PERFORMERS

  Autograph signings & Photos will be inside  
  the RED & WHITE Tent 
AFTER EACH PERFORMANCE  

  CLICK EACH NAME FOR MORE INFORMATION 

AJ GREEN












CLICK IMAGE BELOW TO ENLARGE





Austin Anderson to Perform at ATMF ONEHOPE Family Festival

“This kid is incredible and I want to show the rest
of the world this kid! How great is he?”
Singer, Dancer…a double threat!”
~ Ellen DeGeneres


16 year old pop sensation Austin Anderson is currently hard at work in the recording studio with top producers. Already two of his tracks have been spun on Radio Disney. You can see him as the drummer the new Nickelodeon show "Victorious" and series regular on the the new show from Dick Clark Productions “The Real Teens Of Hollywood”.

CLICK IMAGE BELOW TO ENLARGE

Won-G to Perform at ATMF ONEHOPE Family Festival


Rapper Won-G spent the first 15 years of his life splitting time between Brooklyn and his native Port-au-Prince, Haiti, soaking up a legion of musical and linguistic contrasts.

His family subsequently settled permanently in the U.S., where he began entering talent competitions. Success in this area led him to record a small-scale indie-label album, Do It Do It, in 1995 with the help of his father and brother. Won-G next founded his own label, Happy World, in partnership with a friend's parents, and caught the ear of Beyond Music, which picked up his 2000 album The Royal Impression.

Produced by Won-G's brother Dubble M and featuring cameos from Layzie Bone, the Outlawz, Yukmouth, and Sylk E. Fine, The Royal Impression projected an upbeat, positive energy and a freewheeling, eclectic range of influences ranging from pop, dance, and urban to the sounds of the rapper's native Haiti.

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Starlet Sophie Rose to Perform at ATMF ONEHOPE Family Festival


Sophie has been singing almost as long as she has been talking. When she was younger, Sophie admired artists such as Britney Spears, The Cheetah Girls and Miley Cyrus. Then, when she was 8 years old, Sophie discovered country music. She is especially fond of Rascal Flatts, Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert and, of course, Taylor Swift. Taylor was her inspiration! Sophie began taking guitar lessons from Nils, the acclaimed guitarist/producer (and neighbor) in the summer of 2009. She also began writing songs in earnest – many times spending long hours locked in her room writing.

CLICK IMAGE BELOW TO ENLARGE

Graceland Mafia to Perform at ATMF ONEHOPE Family Festival


Graceland Mafia

Graceland Mafia has been unofficially tagged “Orange County’s Undisputed Kings of Non-Rockabilly.” Still undisputed, they seem to be driven with enough energy to power anything from a hot rod to a fleet of 18-wheelers. Tight rhythms, rapid-fire guitar and a guttural front man reminiscent of Elvis combine for a fuel that burns full-throttle, from the draw of the curtain to the final bow. They write simple songs about simple things; love, life, surfing alien truckers, unsuccessful blackout drinking, and the roads that lead from small towns to big cities. They share them all on their brand-new independent release, “Blacktop,” which is available internationally.
The four Orange County natives have played such venues as the House of Blues, Coach House, O.C. Fairgrounds, and Galaxy Theatre with the likes of Reverend Horton Heat, Dick Dale, The Blasters, Supersuckers, Horrorpops, Billy Zoom, Dave Alvin, and Lee Rocker.

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Ricky J to Perform at ATMF ONEHOPE Family Festival


Canada’s Ricky J has just released his new single, “Whatta Night” co-produced and written by Ricky J and is featured on his soon to be released CD Paint The Town. “Whatta Night” is already Gold as a Digital Download in Canada as well as topping the Crossover and Pop charts in that country. “Whatta Night” was a
lso selected as an upcoming song on the popular television show, “So You Think You Can Dance” Canada.


The song is being launched in the U.S and all indicators are showing that this song is quickly growing from the dance floor to the radio waves. Ricky J’s “Whatta Night” video shot in Los Angeles by Yolande Geralds (Trey Songz, Piles, Tracy Chapman) and the song has surpassed 1,000,000 hits on youtube and is already being played on Logo and many video outlets and retail stores within the United States.

Ricky J built his reputation in the clubs of Montreal, Quebec, Canada as a teen, and after six long years, found himself at #3 on the Canadian Billboard charts with his playful, cheeky smash hit “No Means No.” The rapper/singer earned a deal with Warner Bros. Records and released his debut album, “Lose Control,” to rave reviews. He chose to leave Warner Bros. the following year and signed with the independent Evolution Records where he could exercise more creative freedom. His second album had two singles – “Hold On” and “Gotta Man” – that saw some solid radio and video spins, but he was unable to crack the U.S. market (a notoriously difficult challenge for being so geographically close). By the time 2004 rolled around, Ricky J found himself in the middle of a sweeping career change that would test his perseverance. In his mind, however, “it opened up new doors and allowed me to find my true path, both musically and personally.”

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE







2-U-Neek to Perform at ATMF ONEHOPE Family Festival!

2-U-Neek
2-U-Neek will perform at the ACT Today! for Military Families ONEHOPE Family Festival on Saturday, April 2, 2011 on Fiesta Island in San Diego. The ATMF Run and ONEHOPE Family Festival benefits military children with autism.

2-U-NEEK members are twins Ashley and Ashton of San Antonio, Texas. Together they have opened for major acts like BOW WOW, 3LW, Jagged Edge and more.

Their old school/new school sound is pleasing audiences from SA to H Town to Atlanta, California and other markets as well. They are high energy but can take it down and they appeal to various age groups. They are turning heads wherever they go.



Meet 2-U-Neek and watch them perform at the 
ACT Today! for Military Families Run
and ONEHOPE Family Festival (free)
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Fiesta Island - San Diego
www.acttodayformilitaryfamilies.org









The Bronx Boys - Odori 73 to Perform at ATMF


Meet The Bronx Boys and watch them perform at the 
ACT Today! for Military Families Run 
and ONEHOPE Family Festival (free)
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Fiesta Island - San Diego
www.acttodayformilitaryfamilies.org

KGTV/ABC's Kerstin Lindquist and Steve Atkinson

VENDORS at ATMF Run & ONEHOPE Family Festival

1LAR
AIM (Applied Interventions & Methodologies)
Allied American University
Autism Offroad
Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD)
Camp Pendleton ASYMCA
Coast Music Therapy
Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
Fleet & Family Support Center/Navy EFMP
Gen's Friends

Mindbody Parterships
ONEHOPE Wine
Prudential
Scentsy Wickless Candles
Small Talk Speech Therapy
Sophie 103.7
Talk About Curing Autism (TACA)
Total Education Solutions
Train4Autism
USMC EFMP
Warner Pediatric Therapy
Z Pizza

Luke Edgemon to Perform at ATMF ONEHOPE Family Festival


Luke Edgemon

Luke Edgemon will perform at the ACT Today! for Military Families ONEHOPEFamily Festival on Saturday, April 2, 2011 on Fiesta Island in San Diego. The ATMF Run and ONEHOPE Family Festival benefits military children with autism. Luke Edgemon’s name may sound familiar to you. He auditioned for American Idol several times before, and last season he made it all the way to Hollywood Week.

Now, Luke will appear on another FOX show…Glee! Luke was cast as one of the members of the Dalton High School Warblers—the glee club where main character Kurt (Chris Colfer) is now a member.


CELEBRITY FITNESS GURU KATHY KAEHLER TO KICK OFF THE ATMF RUN APRIL 2, 2011


Kathy Kaehler, author, entrepreneur, ExerciseTV Celebrity Trainer, spokesperson and mom, has devoted her life to helping people live happy, productive and healthy lives. Beyond imparting the latest in fitness workouts, this lifestyle expert has tackled such subjects as multi‐tasking, stress management, nutrition, how to get a good night’s sleep and how to keep sexy and satisfied.

Meet Kathy at the ACT Today! for Military Families Run
and ONEHOPE Family Festival on
Saturday, April 2, 2011 on the Fiesta Island in San Diego

For thirteen years, she appeared on the Today show as the fitness correspondent while training such celebrities as Julia Roberts, Michelle Pfeiffer, Emma Roberts, Cindy Crawford, Jennifer Aniston, Denise Richards, Claudia Schiffer and Kim Basinger. Most recently her work with Kim Kardashian has lead to a downloadable workout series entitled, Kim Kardashian Workout Video…Exercises Fit For a Princess, as well as a role on “Keeping Up with the Kardashians”. The fitness industry has also recognized Kathy’s many contributions; she was inducted into the Fitness Hall of Fame.

As a prolific and best selling author, Kaehler has tackled such demographics as teens, pre and post pregnancy and the menopausal woman. Her six titles include Teenage Fitness, Kathy Kaehler’s Celebrity Workouts, the best selling Real World Fitness and Fit and Sexy for Life. Video and DVD titles include, New Dimensions (with Cindy Crawford), Kathy Kaehler Workout Class and Kathy Kaehler Total Fitness Workout. She has been a contributing writer to Elle, Self and Women’s Sports and Fitness and her workouts and training tips have appeared in In Style, Us Weekly, Shape, Fitness, Family Circle, Health, More, Allure, Marie Claire, and Woman’s Day magazines, among many others. Kathy currently writes a column for the brand new magazine StarLee, Success on Your Terms. Kathy is a regular contributor to MSNBC.com and writes a bi‐weekly column for the Los Angeles Daily News, which is syndicated to several other major markets. In addition to the Today show, Kathy has appeared on such shows as the View, the Megan Mullally Show and The Best Damn Sports Show.
An in demand spokesperson, Kathy has worked with a number of brands and products including a new relationship with Healthy Ones, Propel, Vaseline, Nasonex, Ragu, Boniva, USANA, the Milk Board, Chilean fruit, the mio watch, the Walkmill portable treadmill, Serta, Breyers, and the Enell bra. While representing the Walkmill, Kathy appeared twice on QVC, each time selling out the piece of equipment. She is currently a Podfitness Premiere Trainer and one of the stars of the Lifetime Television series, My Workout.

As a mother of fifteen year old twins and a eleven year old, Kaehler is committed to keeping her kids and all children fit. With two new programs, Kathy Kaehler’s Sunday Set‐UpTM, a weekly meal plan and preparation system which she has brought to the homes of such celebrity moms as Jennie Garth, Melissa Rivers and Angie Harmon.

Raised in Royal Oak, Michigan, and Sao Paulo, Brazil, Kaehler became involved in athletics at an early age, suffering through bouts of bulimia while a student. At Michigan’s Hope College, Kaehler finally learned to eat right and there she earned a B.S. in physical education with an emphasis in exercise science and dance. Upon graduation Kaehler won an internship at the Coors Wellness Center in Golden, Colorado, where she helped develop their corporate fitness and wellness program. It was here that she became passionate about the positive effects of a fitness and wellness mindset on workplace productivity.

Kaehler believes that everyone, at any age should adopt a lifestyle that incorporates fitness, good nutrition and a positive outlook.


SPONSORS of ATMF Run & ONEHOPE Family Festival