Art Auction Raises Funds for Disabled

The second annual Art for Autism will begin at 6 p.m. on July 28 at The Coffee Shop at 401 N. Broadway in Poteau.

The event features artwork by local artists and others. The works are offered by auction, and funds raised will be used by the Pervasive Parenting Center (PPC). The PPC is a non-profit organization that helps families in eastern Oklahoma that are living with disabilities.

Kodey Toney, PPC director, said, “This is the brainchild of my wife Jennifer and Jay Falkner. We have many local artists who have some incredible work, so we decided to try to showcase that talent to raise funds for the center.”

Toney said funding in the past has been used to help purchase equipment for children with disabilities, provide training for families and educators, bring in resources to the area, help with parent support meetings and Sibshops, and to provide scholarships for people with disabilities going into post-secondary education.

Toney said, “While we work with families coping with all types of disabilities including physical, developmental, and mental, autism has been one of our main focuses. My son Konner was diagnosed at the age of three, and that is what sparked us to start the organization. That is also why we decided to call this event Art for Autism. All the proceeds from the event will be used to help families in eastern Oklahoma, so all the funds will stay in this area.”

The viewing of the artworks begins at 6 p.m. on July 28, and the auction will start at 6:30 p.m. The event is open to everyone and will include works in all mediums.

The center is still looking for more artwork, and anyone interested in donating may call 918-647-1255 or contact Toney at ktoney@pervasiveparentingcenter.org.

Sally Maxwell, Senior News Director

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