.floatimg-left-hort { float:left; } .floatimg-left-caption-hort { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:300px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-vert { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right:15px; width:200px;} .floatimg-left-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; font-size: 12px; width:200px;} .floatimg-right-hort { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px;} .floatimg-right-caption-hort { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px; font-size: 12px; } .floatimg-right-vert { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px;} .floatimg-right-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; font-size: 12px; } .floatimgright-sidebar { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; border-top-style: double; border-top-color: black; border-bottom-style: double; border-bottom-color: black;} .floatimgright-sidebar p { line-height: 115%; text-indent: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar h4 { font-variant:small-caps; } .pullquote { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 150px; background: url(http://www.dmbusinessdaily.com/DAILY/editorial/extras/closequote.gif) no-repeat bottom right !important ; line-height: 150%; font-size: 125%; border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;} .floatvidleft { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatvidright { float:right; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;}
Stacy Vratsinas knows firsthand the challenges of raising a child with autism.

Her son, Michael, now 8 1/2 years old, was diagnosed with the syndrome, which impedes development of language and social skills, when he was 2. At the time, doctors estimated his brain age was just 4 months.

“I just knew I wanted to give something back,” said Vratsinas, who earlier this year formed Vratsinas Holes for Hope, a foundation to raise money for autism research through an annual golf tournament. With the support of her husband, John, president of JVC Builders in Urbandale, she has organized a charitable golf classic to be held Nov. 15 at Reflection Bay Golf Course in Lake Las Vegas, Nev.

“A lot of his clients are national, so we were thinking of a fun place to hold the first event,” she said. A number of Greater Des Moines companies, among them banks, developers, architects and other businesses, have already jumped on board as sponsors and participants, she said. All of the proceeds from this year’s event will be donated to Autism Speaks (www.autismspeaks.org), a nonprofit organization that seeks to raise awareness of and fund research for biomedical research into autism.

“My goal this year is to raise $40,000,” Vratsinas said. “It seems to be going very well. We’re two months out, and we’re over halfway to that goal,” she said.

For more information contact Stacy Vratsinas at 201-9526, or by e-mail at svratsinas@yahoo.com.