Captains for a day at Eisenhower Park

Children with autism and their families took the helm last week at Eisenhower Park's Salisbury Lake.
    
After a short lesson from "Captain Ron," Ron McKechnie, the children operated remote-controlled sailboats across the lake as part of Nassau County's Autism Awareness Day on July 22. 
   
Brendan Lanese, 13, was focused as he steered his sailboard across the lake on a breezy, warm afternoon in East Meadow.
  
"I like the concentration of it," said Brendan who participated with his brother, Kevin, 9.
   
The event was also sponsored by the ELIJA Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Levittown that provides educational opportunities and aims to improve services and programs for children with Autism. ELIJA also operates a school for children with Autism, which was opened in 2006.
   
Brendan Lanese is no stranger to taking on new challenges. The honor roll student is active in his school and community, and is involved in student theater productions.
   
But for children like Brendan and Kevin, the sailboat event gave them a chance to try something out in a easygoing setting.
   
"An event like this is wonderful because this is a place we may not have come on our own, maybe something we wouldn't have tried," said Brendan's mother, Kathleen Lanese, of Kings Park. "But it's set aside for our group in an environment where we are comfortable and is a great chance for our family to try something new."
   
Nicole Sugrue, co-founder of ELIJA, agreed with Lanese.
   
"This gives families and children a welcoming setting where they can participate," she said.
   
For more information on the ELIJA foundation and the organization's upcoming programs and events, visit www.elija.org.
   
Levittown resident Mike Hartigan and his 18-year-old son, Mikey, stopped by to try the boats out.
  
"I think it's a great idea," Hartigan said. "This is something brand new to him, and he wasn't so sure at first. He's having fun."