Fundraiser to be Held in Gail Walsh's Name

Elizabeth Yard, friend and frequent collaborator of Gail Walsh, the Cinnaminson woman who , is sponsoring a fundraiser Saturday in Walsh’s name.

Both women have autistic sons and often worked together on projects for Yard’s volunteer organization “Yard” Work & More.

“She was just an incredible person,” Yard said. “It’s all very upsetting to me.”

Yard and Walsh were scheduled to have a lunch date a few days after the tragic accident. She said they were going to discuss their sons’ futures.

Walsh left behind two autistic sons—Cody, 16, and Dillon, 19. Yard’s son John is 17.

“They are like three peas in a pod,” Yard said of the boys.

“Yard” Work & More is a volunteer organization Yard started to teach her son and others how to learn certain skills to gain employment.

“My son is not verbal, but he’s very functional,” Yard said “He’s developmentally very young but he’s great functionally, so he can do yard work and house keeping.”

Yard said she took her son’s good skills on the road.

“It helps him because he generalizes what he learns,” she said.

Yard has always worked with autistic kids and is particularly interested in how to engage them more—teach them leisure skills. So, she and other volunteers decided on crafts.

Handmade items including bracelets, soaps, trivets, Valentine’s Day cards and so much more will be sold Saturday as part of the fundraiser. Probably the most popular item are Boston Soy handmade candles.

All proceeds will be donated to Autism Speaks in Walsh’s name.

The fundraiser is also sponsored in conjunction with The Learning Well for Children—a Pemberton-based group that addresses special needs children in South Jersey. Walsh was involved with the organization.

The fundraiser will take place Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. at the Fountain of Life Center, 2035 Columbus Rd. in Burlington.

“We came up with some really unique items,” Yard said.

The month of the event not only coincides with Valentine’s Day—there are several themed items for sale—but also with the wedding anniversary of Gail Walsh and her husband Dan, Yard said.

“When I realized it was their anniversary, this has got to be one of the first fundraisers,” Yard said. “Dan is just a phenomenal dad. I never met another one like Dan. Hopefully, doing something like this is a good and positive thing. It’s out of love.”

Visit "Yard" Work & More on Facebook here. Like Cinnaminson Patch on Facebook here.