March 6, 2013, Asheville, NC – Team-up on Sunday, June 2nd for the exhilarating experience of zipping through the treetops to support the Autism Society of North Carolina. Zipping for Autism, the first event of its kind in the country, raised $31,000 in its first year! Organizers anticipate an even more successful second year with the addition of the Asheville Treetops Adventure Park experience at Asheville Zipline Canopy Adventures (1 Resort Drive in Asheville).

Jeff and Sheena Greiner, owners of the canopy adventures, wanted to give back to the organization that has served their 10-year-old son O’Reilly over the years. All proceeds raised by individuals and teams will go to the Autism Society of North Carolina to offer respite, increase advocacy and services, and to assist families in our region. “The money we raise is important because there is not enough funding for services to meet the needs of children in our area. There is an increase in prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in our state; 1 in 70 children born in NC has ASD,” said Sheena Greiner.

Teams of 10 will raise a minimum of $790 to fly through tree-lined corridors and enjoy the spectacular views of the Asheville skyline on this urban canopy tour. Zipline canopy rangers will assist all participants with “ground school” training and safety gear for their two-hour zipline experience, which will be scheduled for specific time slots throughout the day between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. Teams raising $1000 or more will also climb, zip, walk, jump, swing, and rappel over 30 towering trees and poles in the wooded Adventure Park!

Teams must register on-line at http://www.zippingforautism.com by May 22, 2013. The website allows teams to generate donations and track progress, provides sponsorship opportunity detail, and offers volunteer sign-up for those who want to help-out behind the scenes. Prizes will be awarded for team accomplishments including ‘most money raised.’ Last year’s top team ‘Team O'Reilly’ raised $2,613.76!

“We applaud the Greiners, the other parents of children with ASD, and the volunteers who have come together to create this unique fundraiser, and we appreciate the teams of individuals and businesses who will join this exciting community event.” said Joe Yurchak, Regional Services Director of ASNC.

For more information:

http://www.wildwaterrafting.com/ashevillezip.php
http://www.autismsociety-nc.org