To the Editor:

I am once again struck by the tremendous generosity of our community. On January 18 Eden celebrated its 26th Eden Dreams gala at the Hyatt Regency Princeton. Considerable thanks to the Dreams committee, led by Peter Franco and Mary Ann Guarrieri for all of their hard work and effort to bring this magnificent event to fruition. Also, heartfelt thanks to the many individuals, corporate sponsors, and in-kind donors who contributed toward this outstanding event. Without their help Eden Dreams would not be possible. I commend the greater Princeton community for its continued support in helping Eden to improve the lives of children and adults with autism. The funds raised at Eden events help us to continue to provide the highest quality of services for our students and adults so that they can continue to be contributing members of our community. Fundraising is especially critical to Eden’s adult programs where government funding falls short of the true cost of operations. Events like Eden Dreams allow us to sustain our first rate residential and employment programs and celebrate the essential support of Eden’s friends and families.

Again, thanks to all those who help keep Eden’s dream alive by making it possible for children and adults with autism to learn, grow, work, and lead productive lives. I will be retiring from Eden at the end January. It has been an honor to serve as president and CEO of this remarkable organization.

Thomas P. McCool, EdD

President and CEO, Eden Autism Services