eBay Auction

An anonymous donor has contributed two unopened boxes of "Flutie Flakes" cereal to be auctioned off on eBay this week, with 100% of the auction proceeds going to support programs for children and youth with autism at The Birchtree Center.

These 2001 cereal boxes feature a photo of NFL quarterback Doug Flutie, a founder of the Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism. Both auctions end Monday, March 3; details are below.

Item #320222117317
FLUTIE FLAKES FOR CHARITY PROCEEDS TO BENEFIT AUTISM
Auction Ends: Mar-03-08 19:19:13 PST

Item #320222114756
FLUTIE FLAKES FOR CHARITY PROCEEDS TO BENEFIT AUTISM
Auction Ends: Mar-03-08 19:06:52 PST

To learn more about how you can auction off items on eBay with all or a portion of the proceeds benefiting The Birchtree Center, click here.

Tree of Lights

We are honored that the Guild at Portsmouth Regional Hospital selected The Birchtree Center as the beneficiary of its Tree of Lights this December.

On the evening of December 3, we gathered in front of the hospital to illuminate a tree and celebrate the individuals who have made a positive impact on the world. Members of the public made donations to The Birchtree Center in memory or in honor of a loved one.

Thank you to the hospital’s Guild; the hospital’s trustees, medical staff, and administration; and the singers from Portsmouth Pro Musica, the officers from the Portsmouth Police Department, and the other hardy souls who attended the event in spite of the snow! Foster's Daily Democrat covered the event; to see the article, click here.

Please know that the warm wishes of our board, staff, and families are with all the Tree of Light participants this holiday season.

Practice Thanksgiving Celebrations

Today, staff members at The Birchtree Center helped students eat a practice Thanksgiving meal in preparation for holiday celebrations at home.

The Thanksgiving holiday provides a challenge to many individuals with autism. The food is often unfamiliar, and a large social gathering with a lengthy meal can be overwhelming.

To help prepare students for the holiday, we gathered staff and students together for a delicious celebratory meal. Students sampled turkey, pumpkin pie, and other foods they might encounter during the holiday. Older students helped prepare for the feast by shopping for supplies, making mashed potatoes, and creating decorations.

A reporter and photographer from Foster's Daily Democrat attended the event; to see their coverage, click here.

Preparing Students to Celebrate Halloween

The Birchtree Center offered a variety of activities at its center in Portsmouth this October to help prepare students for the Halloween holiday.

The week before Halloween, instructors began pre-teaching the holiday. On October 29, students learned a Halloween song and visited a pumpkin patch. The following day, six generous volunteers from the local chapter of Altrusa International hosted students for a practice "Trick or Treat" session at the center. On October 31, students carved pumpkins, participated in a costume parade, and had a dance party.

Foster's Daily Democrat published a feature article about our Halloween activities; to read the story, click here.

For tips from The Birchtree Center's staff on how to prepare a child with autism to celebrate Halloween, click here.

The Winning Auction Bid

The Birchtree Center is very pleased to announce that the winning bid was:

$5,100 for the package of four tickets for the 10/25/07 World Series Game.

Congratulations to the winner, and thank you to everyone who supported our auction! Thank you especially to the Portsmouth law firm of Coughlin, Rainboth, Murphy & Lown for the generous donation of the tickets to The Birchtree Center for this auction.

100% of the auction proceeds will support The Birchtree Center's educational and therapeutic programs for children with autism. For more information about The Birchtree Center, see http://www.birchtreecenter.org/.

Bidding Has Closed

Bidding has now closed.

The winning bidder and the next highest bidder or "runner up" will be notified by telephone.

The winning bid will be posted here tomorrow, October 25, 2007.

Thank you very much for your support of our fundraising auction!

For more information about The Birchtree Center and its programs helping children and youth with autism, see www.birchtreecenter.org.

FINAL Bidding Update, 2:00 PM, 10/24/07

As of 2:00 pm, the highest bid received so far is:

$4,300 for the package of four (4) tickets.

Bids must be submitted in $100 increments. For bidding instructions, click the link on the right. Please note that you must follow the voice prompts and press the pound key (#) twice after you have recorded your message.

Please note that the bidding deadline has been extended to 3:00 pm ET today, October 24.

This is the FINAL bidding update.

Bidding Update, 1:00 PM, 10/24/07

As of 1:00 pm, the highest bid received so far is: $4,300

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Bidding

• How do I place a bid?
  Bids must be placed by phone at 603-319-4843. For bidding instructions, click on the link on the right. Please note that you must follow the voice prompts and press the pound key (#) twice after you have recorded your message.
  
• When does the bidding end?
  Bidding will close today (Wednesday, October 24, 2007) at 3:00 pm ET. After the close of bidding, the auction administrator will review all bids received before the 3:00 pm deadline and will determine the winner.
  
• When should I place my final bid?
  Shortly after 2:00 PM today (Wednesday, October 24, 2007), the auction administrator will post a final bidding update on this blog and as a message on the bidding phone line. You will then have until 3:00 pm ET today to place your final bid. We recommend that you call early during the final hour of bidding, in order to ensure that your call gets through.
  
• Is there any other way to place a bid?
  Bids will be accepted only by phone message at 603-319-4843.
  
• If I win the auction, how will I get my tickets?
  See the section in the bidding instructions entitled "Determining the Auction Winner" for more information about this. To view the bidding instructions, click on the link on the right.

Bidding Update, 12:00 noon, 10/24/07

As of 12:00 noon, the highest bid received so far is: $4,000

Bidding Update, 11:00 AM, 10/24/07

As of 11:00 am, the highest bid received so far is: $4,000

Bidding Update, 10:00 AM, 10/24/07

As of 10:00 am, the highest bid received so far is: $3,800

Bidding Update, 9:00 AM, 10/24/07

As of 9:00 am, the highest bid received so far is: $3,800

Bidding Update, 10:00 PM, 10/23/07

As of 10:00 pm, the highest bid received so far is: $3,600

Bidding Update, 9:00 PM, 10/23/07

As of 9:00 pm, the highest bid received so far is: $3,600

Bidding Update, 8:00 PM, 10/23/07

As of 8:00 pm, the highest bid received so far is: $3,200

Bidding Update, 7:00 PM, 10/23/07

As of 7:00 pm, the highest bid received so far is: $3,200

Bidding Update, 6:00 PM, 10/23/07

As of 6:00 pm, the highest bid received so far is: $3,200

Bidding Update, 5:00 PM, 10/23/07

As of 5:00 pm, the highest bid received so far is: $3,200

Bidding Update, 4:00 PM, 10/23/07

As of 4:00 pm, the highest bid received so far is: $3,200

Bidding Update, 3:00 PM, 10/23/07

As of 3:00 pm, the highest bid received so far is: $3,200

Bidding Update, 2:00 PM, 10/23/07

As of 2:00 pm, the highest bid received so far is: $3,200

Bidding Update, 1:00 PM, 10/23/07

As of 1:00 pm, the highest bid received so far is: $3,200

Bidding Update, 12:00 noon, 10/23/07

As of 12:00 noon, the highest bid received so far is: $3,200

Bidding Update, 11:00 AM, 10/23/07

As of 11:00 AM, the highest bid received so far is: $2,800

IMPORTANT: Bidding Deadline Extension

The deadline for bidding has now been extended by three hours to:

3:00 PM Eastern Time

on Wednesday, October 24, 2007, in order to compensate for an unanticipated delay in the start of bidding yesterday due to technical difficulties. Thank you for your understanding and support!

Bidding Update, 10:00 AM, 10/23/07

As of 10:00 AM, the highest bid received so far is: $2,500

Bidding Update, 9:00 AM, 10/23/07

As of 9:00 AM, the highest bid received so far is: $2,500

Bidding Update, 10:00 PM, 10/22/07

As of 10:00 PM, the highest bid received so far is: $2,300
The next bidding update will be posted tomorrow at 9:00 AM.

Bidding Update, 9:00 PM, 10/22/07

As of 9:00 PM, the highest bid received so far is: $2,300

Bidding Update, 8:00 PM, 10/22/07

As of 8:00 PM, the highest bid received so far is: $2,300

Bidding Update, 7:00 PM, 10/22/07

As of 7:00 PM, the highest bid received so far is: $2,300

Bidding Update, 6:00 PM, 10/22/07

As of 6:00 PM, the highest bid received so far is: $2,300

Bidding is OPEN

The opening acceptable bid is $1500 for the package of four (4) tickets.

Bids must be submitted in $100 increments. Bidding instructions are below.

If you tried to submit a bid earlier, you may have encountered difficulties with our phone line; we apologize for the delay.

Bidding Procedures for our Red Sox Auction, 10/22/07-10/24/07

About our Auction

The Birchtree Center, a not-for-profit in Portsmouth serving children and youth with autism, will auction off four box seat tickets for Game Two of the World Series in a telephone auction ending Wednesday, October 24, 2007, at 3:00 pm ET. The Portsmouth law firm of Coughlin, Rainboth, Murphy & Lown donated the tickets to The Birchtree Center for the auction. One hundred percent of the auction proceeds will benefit The Birchtree Center, and the winning bid will be tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowable by law.

Game Two of the World Series will be held at Fenway Park on the evening of Thursday, October 25, starting at 8:00 p.m. The box seats are located in Section 17, Row 5; for a seating chart, see below. The four contiguous seats will be sold together in a single package; bidding will start at $1500.00 for the package. Bids will be accepted by telephone at 603-319-4843 starting October 22 at 3:00 p.m. ET and ending October 24 at 3:00 pm ET.


Bidding Procedures
Those wishing to place a bid should call 603-319-4843 and leave a message that includes the following information:

1. Your full name


2. Your phone number


3. Your mailing address


4. Your bid amount

Please note that you must follow the voice prompts and press the pound key (#) twice after you have recorded your message.

BIDS MUST BE PLACED IN $100 INCREMENTS (for example, a bid of $1,600 is acceptable, but a bid of $1,550 is not). Bidding starts at $1,500.00 for the package of four seats.


Every hour on the hour (except between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m), the auction administrator will review all messages and update this blog and the telephone message with the amount of the highest bid received so far.


Due to Commonwealth laws regarding ticket selling, residents of Massachusetts are not eligible to bid in this auction. Residents of New Hampshire are eligible, but state law may prohibit residents of other states from participating in this auction.


Determining the Auction Winner
At the close of bidding on Wednesday, October 24, 2007, at 3:00 pm ET, the auction administrator will review all messages received before the deadline. In the event that the highest bid amount has been offered by more than one bidder, the attorneys at Coughlin, Rainboth, Murphy & Lown will select a winning bidder and a "runner up" using a blind random drawing.

The winning bidder and the next highest bidder or "runner up" will be notified by telephone. To obtain the tickets, the winning bidder must present a certified bank check or money order, payable to The Birchtree Center, at the offices of Coughlin, Rainboth, Murphy & Lown at 439 Middle Street in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA, between the hours of 3:00 and 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 24, or between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and noon on Thursday, October 25, 2007.

If the winning bidder is unable to submit valid payment before noon ET on October 25, 2007, then the tickets will be sold to the next highest bidder or "runner up."

About The Birchtree Center
The Birchtree Center, a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) organization established in 2002, operates the only educational and treatment program certified by the New Hampshire Board of Education that focuses solely on the special needs of children and youth with autism. At its facilities at 33 Jewell Court in Portsmouth, N.H., and through a statewide outreach program, teams of highly qualified professionals design comprehensive programs to meet the unique educational needs of students with autism aged three to seventeen years. With these scientifically tested instruction methods, children and youth with autism can develop the communication, social, behavioral, academic and life skills necessary to live a more productive and independent life. For more information, see http://www.birchtreecenter.org/.

About Coughlin, Rainboth, Murphy & Lown
The Portsmouth law firm of Coughlin, Rainboth, Murphy & Lown donated the tickets to The Birchtree Center for the auction. One hundred percent of the auction proceeds will benefit The Birchtree Center, and the winning bid will be tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowable by law.

The law firm of Coughlin, Rainboth, Murphy & Lown looks forward to Birchtree raising monies to help more students with autism. “Our firm is privileged to help The Birchtree Center,” reports Timothy Coughlin, a partner at Coughlin, Rainboth, Murphy, & Lown of Portsmouth. “We have established this auction as part of a series of community services that coincide with our motto of “Lawyers Doing Good.” We are now asking the community to step up and help the kids at Birchtree by placing a generous bid for these invaluable tickets!”

Coughlin, Rainboth, Murphy & Lown is a full service Portsmouth law firm assisting clients with all types of legal concerns, including personal injuries, workplace accidents, and other matters such as divorce, estate planning, and business transactions. Members of the firm have continually assisted the community by involving themselves in helping several non-profit institutions in the Seacoast such as the Birchtree Center. For more information, go to the firm’s website at http://www.nhtrialattorneys.com/.

Seat Locations
The seats are in the infield grandstand in section #17. The location is marked on the diagram below.

The photo below was taken from these seats during the 2004 World Series.

A Sign Unveiling at Our Future Home

The Birchtree Center announced the location of its future home at a sign unveiling on October 11 at 1:00 p.m. at 237 Portsmouth Avenue in Stratham, New Hampshire. In spite of the rain and cold, more than a dozen staff, students, parents and board members from The Birchtree Center gathered with community supporters to celebrate the acquisition of a nine-acre parcel of land at 237 Portsmouth Avenue in Stratham. They cheered as Elliott Kay, a tenth-grade student at The Birchtree Center, unveiled a new sign designating the land as the future location of a new facility housing The Birchtree Center’s specialized programs for children and youth with autism.

Since 2002, The Birchtree Center, a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) organization, has offered intensive, individualized instruction for children with autism aged three through seventeen years. At rented facilities at 33 Jewell Court in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, The Birchtree Center operates the only program certified by the state’s Board of Education to focus solely on educating children and youth with autism. With help from special educators, behavior analysts, speech therapists, and an occupational therapist, children with autism at The Birchtree Center develop the communication, social, behavioral, academic and life skills necessary to live more productive and independent lives.

The center’s current facilities are inadequate, however, to meet the growing demand for its services. Now, one in 150 children in the U.S. has been diagnosed with autism or a closely related disorder, according to recent statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The number of New Hampshire children diagnosed with autism continues to grow. Yet the Birchtree Center can only accommodate twenty-one students at its current location, and will reach its full capacity later this fall.

Speaking at the event, Birchtree Center Board President Barbara Frankel, Ph.D., said, “The time is now for The Birchtree Center to get a new home. The Birchtree Center’s current facilities are inadequate to meet the increasing demand for our services. In Stratham, The Birchtree Center will have room to grow.”

Federal Savings Bank, headquartered in Dover, New Hampshire, and the New Hampshire Health and Education Facilities Authority (NHHEFA) financed the purchase of the nine-acre parcel in Stratham. JSA Architects donated their services in drafting a preliminary design for the new facility. Construction for the new facility will commence once sufficient funds have been raised; a capital campaign is scheduled to launch in 2008. Three 1960s-era buildings are currently on the site. Two of these structures are beyond repair and are expected to be demolished to make way for the new construction.

“The Birchtree Center is very happy to be partnering with Federal Savings Bank, NHHEFA, and JSA Architects to make our new home a reality,” said the center’s Executive Director, Christine Guarino, Ph.D., “With their support, we can provide essential services for the growing numbers of children and youth with autism in New Hampshire.”

Donald R. Hatt, President and Chief Executive Officer at Federal Savings Bank, added, “Since 1890, Federal Savings Bank has been committed to contributing to the quality of life in our communities. Partnering with the Birchtree Center is an honor for our organization and knowing that we will positively impact the lives of children and youth with autism means a great deal to us.”

Following these remarks, Birchtree Center student Elliott Kay removed the tarp covering the sign, which had been created by Signs and More of Dover with funding from the Federal Savings Bank. Elliott Kay, the seventeen-year-old son of board president Barbara Frankel, was diagnosed with autism at the age of 16 months. Dr. Frankel’s initial struggle to find appropriate education and treatment for her son in New Hampshire inspired the genesis of The Birchtree Center. The center’s name was chosen because, like New Hampshire’s state symbol, the birch tree, a child with autism needs to be surrounded by community support to grow and flourish. “We are so grateful to the so many members of the community for their ongoing support of the students at The Birchtree Center,” said Dr. Frankel, “They’re helping make our dreams a reality.”