Game On

A Perfect Match

ACEing Autism in LKN connects kids with tennis

by Grace Kennedy | photography by Jon Beyerle Children with autism have a unique resource available to them in the Lake Norman area, thanks to Julie Coughlin and her daughter Kendall. In 2019, the Mooresville residents opened a local chapter of ACEing Autism, a national organization that provides social connection and physical activity to children with autism through tennis.

Kendall’s passion for helping children with special needs led to her discovery of the ACEing Autism UNC Charlotte chapter, where she started volunteering in her early teens. After many Sundays spent driving back and forth from Mooresville to Charlotte, Julie looked into starting a chapter closer to home, and ACEing Autism Mooresville was born.

About ACEing Autism

In 2008 Richard Spurling, a tennis professional with a degree in International Business and an MBA in entrepreneurship, co-founded ACEing Autism in Boston, Mass. with Dr. Shafali Jeste, an autism researcher and child neurologist. The organization now has 73 program locations in 29 states.

As a varsity tennis player for Community School of Davidson, Kendall, a high school junior, was excited to be part of the ACEing Autism team. She had spent many hours helping to teach math in the special needs classroom at her school and welcomed the opportunity to work with children with autism.

Kendall, Julie and Laurel Coughlin.

The fact that it was a tennis program made it a real win-win.

Working with children with autism has taught Kendall to keep things in perspective and stay positive. “It’s eye-opening, because most of the time they have such positive attitudes. Sometimes you complain about your own life, but they are so positive, and there is such a lightness.”

All of the volunteers at the Mooresville ACEing Autism chapter are teens, and Kendall’s mother Julie has been impressed with their commitment at such young ages. “Volunteering is invaluable for these teenagers,” she says.

The program

ACEing Autism provides six-week sessions of one-hour programs for children ages five to 18. The spring session is planned for Saturdays from 1-2 p.m. from April 10 through May 15 at the Lake Norman Tennis Center. Although the lesson plans are structured, the one-to-one child-to-volunteer ratio allows each child the flexibility he or she needs to be successful.

“If a child doesn’t want to play tennis that day, the volunteer will roll the ball with them for the full hour,” says Julie. This flexibility gives parents the peace of mind that their child will get something valuable out of the program no matter where they are developmental or emotionally. ance, agility, and motor planning—areas where many children with autism benefit from extra practice and assistance.

Research on the impact of the ACEing Autism program has found positive results, including improvements in behavior, hyperactivity and irritability. Participants also had increased confidence, which can encourage children to try other activities off the tennis court.

Your turn to serve

You can help ACEing Autism reach more families by spreading the word. “The more people that talk about and share the program, the more success we have with families learning about our location and the awesome volunteer opportunities we offer for young teens,” says Julie.

You can also organize a fundraiser to support the ACEing Autism scholarship program. The organization recently benefited from a Cupcakes and Champagne (and tennis!) fundraiser at the Lake Norman Tennis Center where the ACEing Autism volunteers, who had not been able to see their young friends in person due to coronavirus, were at least able to get together with each other and the generous fundraiser guests and make the event a success.

Visit aceingautism.org/locations/mooresville-nc/ or email mooresville@aceingautism.org to register or learn more about how you can help.

BEST OF THE LAKE

Vote for Us for Best of Lake Norman CURRENTS Awards: Best Interior Designer www.surveymonkey.com/r/BOTL2021

Interior Design with a strong focus on the client’s vision

space planning, lighting, furniture, new construction or renovation, color consultation, window treatments, art and accessories

AIRY& Brightby Bek Mitchell-Kidd photography by Tiffany Ringwald Photography

historic huntErsvillE homE gEts chic FacEliFt

Before

Misty Malloy of CoCreative Interiors is in the process of helping the owners of this 1940s Huntersville home with a complete redsign, starting with the main living area of the structure.

Misty Molloy, founder and director of CoCreative Interiors, had her design-work cut out for her to bring a fresh feel to this historic home for her clients.

At approximately 3,000 square feet, Molloy is working her way through redesigning the entire house, but started with the high-traffic areas of the living and dining space. The clients needed a multi-functional area that can accommodate family game night, entertaining friends, and a nap-worthy couch. Molloy began with increasing the light in the space by creating a custom electrical plan for the area, which previously had no overhead lighting.

Meanwhile, the color palette optimizes the natural light. Almost every element in the room is mixed with shades of white including the blue-and-white striped chairs, drapery, pillows, and the shelving of the semi-gloss white built-ins. Incorporating white accessories, particularly in the shelving keeps the space bright, and Sherwin Williams’ “Misty” wall color which is a light blue with a soft gray undertone that beams brightness. Layered lighter tones on the primary furniture pieces also reflect the light including the tightly-woven-lightgreen fabric ottoman, and the library area cocktail table’s whitewash finish.

Space defined

The structural layout is indicative of the time when the home was built almost 75 years ago, that definitely didn’t consider a flat screen TV or where to host a kids’ playdate. “We flanked the room with built-ins to create two distinct zones: an entertainment area and a library cocktail lounge to generate a sense of purpose at both ends,” says Molloy. She also used rugs to create intentional spaces; the family area rug is horizontal, while the library area rug is vertical—instantly creating a distinction.