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Wii bowling tournament strikes against autism

Fundraiser helped raise 200 dollars to go towards Judevine Center for Autism

KATHLEEN BUHRMANN/Missourian

Nicole Henry, left, and Jordan Roberts, right, clap for Duke Newsted, 6, after he bowls down a few pins in Jayden Roberts' Wii Bowling Tournament, organized to raise money for the Judevine Center for Autism.

By KATHLEEN BUHRMANN

April 20, 2008 | 8:29 p.m. CST

On a drizzly Friday evening, 6-year-old Duke Newsted was all smiles as he learned how to bowl on a Wii at Jayden Roberts’ Wii Bowling Tournament at Friendship Place Youth Center in Centralia. Nicole Henry and Jordan Roberts, Jayden’s brother, helped teach Duke how to use his hand to control, swing and release the virtual bowling ball. After a few practice swings, Duke was giggling and clapping as he knocked over virtual pins.

“He is a natural. He has this game down,” Nicole said after Duke bowled an 81 in two games.

Duke Newsted, 6, swings the Wii remote behind his hip as he prepares to release ...

Jayden put on the fundraiser to help raise money for Judevine Center for Autism’s annual bowling tournament in May. Jayden, an autistic freshman at Centralia High School, hopes to be the top fundraiser at the bowling event by raising $2,000. He raised about $200 through his Wii bowling tournament. Judevine Center has been an invaluable source of knowledge and support for Jayden and his family since Jayden’s diagnosis.

Participants paid $5 to play three games of bowling. At the end of the night, the players with the best bowling scores in their age group were awarded prizes.

Duke was thrilled to leave the event with a beach bag, a free movie rental and newly-honed Wii bowling skills. He was brought to the event by his mother, Jo Dean, one of Jayden’s teachers at Centralia High School.

In addition to this Wii tournament, Jayden also created a commercial that talks about how Judevine Center helped him and his family. His commercial can be viewed at members.socket.net/~fivejars. The Web site also gives instruction on how to donate to Judevine Center for Autism.

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