INSPIRED BY Vancouver Canucks players, a local man is raising money to help those with autism.
Caleb Wacholz, who has autism, had raised $1,200 of his $3,000 goal by March 16, according to his mom Rita.
He’s donating the money to the Canucks Autism Network, which provides year-round services to people with autism.
Caleb will also donate his earnings for this month from his job as a paper carrier with The Terrace Standard.
“We benefit a lot from the services and programs and we want to help make sure all of those kids behind us have something too,” says Rita.
Caleb has been inspired by Canucks Dan Hamhuis, Manny Malhotra and the Sedins.
Malhotra is a spokesperson for the autism network, he and Hamhuis built a park in Vancouver for children in a less privileged area.
Hamhuis also does work with the Special Olympics and the Sedin twins donated $2 million to the BC Children’s Hospital a couple of years ago.
“He’s a big fan of hockey and all things hockey and he sees those guys do stuff and it’s not too hard to [help out too],” says Rita.
Caleb has benefitted from the autism network too, mostly in using its provincial resource lending library and he intends to go to Soup for the Soul, which is vocational training for ages 18 to 26.
“They can go and learn to make different kinds of soup in an industrial kind of setting,” says Rita about Soup for the Soul.
They learn socialization, they learn safety in the kitchen, they learn to make homemade soup and it goes to shelters in Vancouver.
People can also donate by calling 250-638-0883 in the evening or e-mail Rita Wacholtz at wacholtzr@hotmail.ca.