NASCAR driver, autism advocate visits Akron for Akron Zoo appearance, fundraiser, poker tournament

Armani Williams is the first NASCAR driver to be openly diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. And at only 17 years old, he has leveraged racing as a platform to raise awareness about autism-related causes.

Williams, the inspiration behind the Race4Autism Foundation, will be part of a number of festivities Saturday, Aug. 26, in Akron, including the​ ​Center​ ​for​ ​Applied​ ​Drama​ ​and​ ​Autism​ ​(CADA)​ ​and​ ​Ardmore​ ​Inc.​’s ​Race4Autism​ ​Foundation​ ​Fundraiser,​ ​a​ ​day​ ​of​ ​music,​ ​food and​ ​other activities ​to​ ​raise​ ​autism​ ​awareness. Williams​ ​will​ ​have​ ​his​ ​#28​ ​Dodge​ ​on​ ​premises​ ​and​ ​will​ ​host​ ​a​ ​meet-and-greet​ ​with​ ​fans.​ ​

The​ ​morning​ ​of​ ​the​ ​event,​ ​Williams ​will​ ​take ​his​ ​race​ ​car​ ​to​ ​host​ ​a​ ​meet-and-greet​ and​ ​autograph​ ​signing​ ​at​ ​the​ ​Akron Zoo​ ​penguin​ ​exhibit​ ​from​ ​11​ ​a.m.​ ​to​ ​noon.​ ​Last​ ​month,​ ​the​ ​Akron​ ​Zoo​ ​became​ ​the​ ​first​ ​zoo​ ​in​ ​Ohio​ ​and​ ​the​ ​second​ ​in the​ ​country​ ​to​ ​earn​ ​a​ ​sensory​ ​inclusive​ ​certification.

The​​ ​Race4Autism​ ​Foundation​ ​Fundraiser​​ will kick off from 1 to 4​ ​p.m.​ ​at​ ​​1501​ ​S. Hawkins​ ​Street​ ​in​ ​Akron. The​ ​Race4Autism​ ​Foundation​ ​Fundraiser​ ​is​ ​made​ ​possible​ ​thanks​ ​to​ ​sponsors​ ​Ardmore​ ​Inc.,​ ​CADA, ​and​ ​Testa Companies,​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​the​ ​vendors,​ ​including:​ ​Just​ ​the​ ​​Goods,​ ​Miche​ ​Mozaix,​ ​Summit​ ​ArtSpace,​ ​Links​ ​Community​ ​& Family​ ​Services,​ ​​J.​ ​Burgess​ ​Designs​​ ​and​ ​Bluff​ ​Blue​ ​Door​ ​Gallery.​ ​Music​ ​will​ ​be​ ​provided​ ​by​ ​DJ​ ​Ill​ ​WIll.

For the​ ​evening​ ​of​ ​Aug. ​26,​ ​Williams will be​ ​a​ ​special​ ​guest​ ​at​ ​the​ ​Autism​ ​Society​ ​of​ ​Greater​ ​Akron’s​ ​Casino​ ​Royale event​ ​at​ ​the​ ​Rosemont​ ​Country​ ​Club.​ ​All​ ​proceeds​ ​from​ ​this​ ​fundraiser​ ​will​ ​directly​ ​support​ ​the​ ​“Swimming​ ​for​ ​Autism” scholarship​ ​program. First place winner of the poker tournament will be flown to Los Angeles to participate in the Ed Asner Celebrity Poker Tournament to be held on Sept. 9. Second and third place winners will receive prizes valued at $500 and $250 respectively. For more info on the poker tournament, visit autismakron.org/poker.

Summit​ ​County​ ​is​ ​the​ ​nation’s​ ​first​ ​“autism-friendly”​ ​county​​ ​following​ ​an​ ​April​ ​17​ Summit​ ​County​ ​council​ ​meeting​ ​in which​ County​ ​Executive​ ​Ilene​ Shapiro​ ​sponsored​ ​a​ ​resolution​ ​to​ ​make​ ​the​ ​county​ ​an​ ​“inclusive​ ​and​ ​autism friendly​ ​community.”​ ​Currently,​ ​one​ ​in​ ​68​ ​children​ ​in​ ​the​ ​U.S.​ ​are​ ​diagnosed​ ​with​ ​autism​ ​spectrum​ ​disorder.

Armani​ ​and​ ​his​ ​family​ ​started​ ​the​ ​Race4Autism​ ​Foundation​ ​in​ ​2015.​ Race4Autism’s​ ​mission​ ​is​ ​to​ ​drive​ ​autism awareness​ ​and​ ​actively​ ​create​ ​solution-based​ ​opportunities​ ​that​ ​will​ ​provide​ ​life​ ​enrichment​ ​opportunities​ ​to​ ​people​ ​and families​ ​affected​ ​by​ ​autism​ ​spectrum​ ​disorder.​ ​The​ ​foundation​ ​sponsors​ ​Team​ ​Armani​ ​Racing​ ​and​ ​makes​ ​stock​ ​car racing​ ​more​ ​accessible​ ​to​ ​people​ ​on​ ​the​ ​autism​ ​spectrum​ ​by​ ​encouraging​ ​participation​ ​with​ ​events​ ​like​ ​Autism​ ​Day​ ​at the​ ​Track.

For​ ​info,​ ​visit ​teamarmaniracing.com/race4autism.