On Saturday, Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade Counties came together to celebrate the fourth annual Dan Marino Foundation WalkAbout Autism and Expo. The event featured the charity walk around the stadium, live music entertainment, face painting, food and beverage sampling, arts & crafts, and former and current Miami Dolphins players such as Koa Misi and Derrick Rodgers.
The WalkAbout event drew more than 20,000 people and raised $500,000. Most of the money stays in the Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach County schools, or goes directly to the Marino Foundation.
Sponsors such as the Miami Dolphins, Sun Life Stadium, Walgreens, Publix Super Markets, The Tire Choice & Total Car Care, Nova Southeastern University, Chase, Blue Bell Ice Cream, Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza, Panera Bread participated in the event.
The Dan Marino Foundation was established in 1992 by Dan and Claire Marino, after they found out their son was diagnosed with autism. The Foundation has raised more than $47 million in its 22-year existence.
“To me, the satisfaction is when a parent or a kid comes up and tells you personally the things we’re doing are making a difference in their lives, or their families’ lives,” said Marino.
The other objective of the WalkAbout Autism and Expo is to create a happy environment for kids, families and friends.
“It’s community and awareness,” said Mary Partin, CEO of The Dan Marino Foundation. “It’s an event where people who have children with autism, families and friends, can come out and really enjoy the day. It’s the sound, and how it’s set up, it’s all featured so that people are comfortable here.
Marino’s name may be attached to the event, but he understands there are other people that are making this Autism Expo a success.
“I get a lot of credit for this,” he said, “but it’s the people that work for my foundation, the people here at stadium that work, and all the volunteers that come out that make this an incredibly special day for kids with autism and for families that have kids with developmental disabilities.”
