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Seahawks help CSHL tackle autism

CSH Seahawks Varsity football team
For the team, the most heartwarming donations came from a player’s sisters who donated all of their tooth fairy money from the year for Nicky!
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The Seahawks varsity football team of Cold Spring Harbor High School scored a touchdown at the CSHL on December 12, donating $5,000 in support of autism genetics research. The Seahawks not only had an 8-0 season, but they successfully completed a season-long fundraising initiative called “Tackle Autism.” Research Assistant Professor Mike Ronemus thanked the players and coach on behalf of Professor Mike Wigler’s laboratory, which has made groundbreaking discoveries that are paving the way to early genetic diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders.

The 2017 Tackle Autism campaign was conceived by the high school team’s senior kicker and philanthropist Eli Gordon. Eli helped kick cancer by giving $1,000 to breast cancer research at CSHL in memory of a special teacher. “Personally donating money last year was so rewarding that I wanted to do something involving the entire team so they could share in this experience,” said Eli. So, this year he led the team effort as a way to honor their classmate and team “superfan” Nicky Melillo.

For more information about CSHL’s autism genetics research: https://www.cshl.edu/giving/disease-funding-initiatives/autism/

  • Eli Gordon and Nicky Melillo
    “Honoring a classmate who is as much a part of the team as the players really inspired the football community to generously support this worthwhile cause,” explained Eli.