Cerebral Palsy

They have a child and the courage to start a program.'' That is certainly the case for Anathan, whose 7-year-old son Ajai is a high-functioning child on the autism scale.

But Anathan does not play the doting parent.

On Saturday, he and another parent secured the nets to the soccer goals before the players arrived.

Once the players and parents had gathered, Anathan had them engage in a series of warm-ups that a player could expect at any ''regular'' soccer practice.

Anathan even encouraged the children on proper striking of the ball for shooting and passing.

And these kids weren't bad.

Sean Thorpe, 7, of Orefield, blasted a shot into the side panel of the goal that drew applause from parents.

Tyler Chubenko, 14, who attends Lower Macungie Middle School, boomed his first shot over the crossbar, but buried his second shot into the netting.

Anathan is thrilled that the program has more then doubled in size for the spring season, drawing a new set of youngsters, including Jon Dika, whose father played the game in Germany.

''If I had gotten information about this earlier, Jon would have been signed up in the fall,'' said his mom, Flutura, who found out about the program from Mary Jean Stankoski, a speech therapist with Carbon-Lehigh IU 20.

Stankoski serves as the team manager, collecting photo forms and arranging pizza parties as well as r...

In 2004, he did 2,000 sit-ups and in 2005, 3,000 sit-ups.

In the four years he has been attempting these sit-ups, he has raised nearly $25,000 for Relay for Life.

This year at the Chick-fil-A at Lanier Crossing, Mitch will be on-site with free Mitch Madness T-shirts, available with a $15.00 or more donation to the American Cancer Society.

In support for Mitch’s dedication and hard-work toward this inspiring cause, the Chick-fil-A restaurant at Lanier Crossing will donate ten percent of its net sales from 6 p.m.

– 8 p.m.

on May 1 to Relay for Life.

Mitch’s goal for this year is to raise more than $15,000 for the organization.

On Friday, May 4 at 8:30 am, Mitch will begin to publicly attempt his largest number of sit-ups ever - 5,000 at the North Forsyth High School.

Chick-fil-A Tuesday, May 1 6 – 8 p.m.

Chick-fil-A at Lanier Crossing 653 Atlanta Road Cumming, GA 30040 (770) 781-5256 Friday, May 4 8:30 a.m.

North Forsyth High School 3635 Coal Mountain Drive Cumming, Ga 30040 (770) 781-6637 Add a Comment Please be civil.

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