$13,000 Raised for Autism Walk by Banking Executive with a Personal Connection to Autism

Harry Topping, Senior Vice President and Manager of Corporate Premises for City National Bank in Downtown Los Angeles and 110 golfers participated in the tournament at the Tournament Players Club golf course in Valencia. Organizers of Topping Brothers Invitational hoped to raise $10,000 for Autism Speaks, the nation’s largest autism science and advocacy organization, and the funds raised exceeded their expectations.

After the diagnosis, Liam’s mother and grandmother decided to organize a fundraising golf tournament to benefit Autism Speaks. The inaugural event is named in honor of Liam’s two supportive brothers, Trey and Miles Topping.

Says Susan Topping, “It is an important cause and important to us to give back. There was so much generosity of everyone there. When you get the diagnosis it can feel a little insular, and then by having an event I learned how many people really are affected by the disorder”

ABOUT WALK NOW FOR AUTISM SPEAKS: The 3rd annual Santa Barbara Walk Now for Autism Speaks 2011 event will take place Saturday, November 5, 2011 at East Beach in Santa Barbara at 8am. The Master of Ceremonies will be Andrew Firestone. The 2010 Santa Barbara autism walk hosted 1,000 Santa Barbara and Ventura County residents and raised $200,000. Walk Now for Autism Speaks is North America’s largest grassroots autism walk.

http://www.walknowforautismspeaks.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=475309

https://www.facebook.com/autismspeaks.santabarbara

ABOUT AUTISM: According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), autism now affects 1% or 1 in every 110 American children, including 1 in 70 boys. Autism is a complex condition that affects a person’s ability to communicate and develop social relationships, and is often accompanied by behavioral challenges.