By Heather Bennett Eye
Emerald Coast Autism Center (ECAC), a 501©3 non-profit organization in Niceville, has two big fundraising events coming up this fall. Their 12th Annual Hole in ONE Golf Tournament will be held on September 19, 2025, and the Fleets and Eats harbor hop will take place on October 25. These events help ECAC to continue to provide resources, such as therapeutic and educational services, to individuals on the autism spectrum who live on the Emerald Coast and nearby communities.
ECAC is found on the campus of Northwest Florida State College. They have a clinic where they provide one-on-one Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) Therapy, and the Emerald Coast Learning Center, a non-profit ABA Therapy-based private school and vocational center.
The learning center provides academic classrooms and a specialized vocational training center. Vocational training programs provide young adults with the opportunity and experience to gain skills that can be transferred to the workforce.
“We have a commercial kitchen, a laundry room, a car wash, and we work with the college,” said Community Outreach Coordinator Jordan Eberle. “Students work in their greenhouse and mail room to learn real vocational skills that can be applied at jobs in the area. We just had our first graduate and she’s now working at the Raider Café at the college.”
Right now, ECAC serves just over 100 students, but they are continuing to grow as autism becomes more prevalent. Many people move from out of town, or even out of state, for their kids to attend and get the type of therapy and education they need. This is why supporting these fundraising efforts is so important for our community.
The 12th Annual Hole in ONE Golf Tournament on Friday, September 19, 2025, will be held at The Raven Golf Club in Sandestin from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Check in will begin at 7:30 a.m. with the scramble kicking off at 9 a.m. Players will have the opportunity to bid on silent auction items and participate in a 50/50 raffle. There will be games throughout the course, skills competitions, and a trophy and custom hats for the tournament winners. Boxed lunches are included in the registration price and beverages will be available for purchase.
This golf tournament is part of ECAC’s ONE Campaign. It’s one of two annual events that help raise support for students with proceeds going directly to the ECAC Scholarship Fund. The other event is their annual ONE Run 5K held in April. “Everybody has the one in their life. The rate is now 1 in 31 autism incidence in kids. So, we ask that you play for the one in the golf tournament and run for the one in the 5K,” said Jordan. Spots for the golf tournament are still available. If you enjoy golf, please consider signing up and playing for a cause.
Fleets and Eats, hosted by ECAC on Saturday, October 25, 2025, will be a Lu’au, barhop type event that will begin and end at Tailfins. With the theme being “Tiki and Tequila,” guests will enjoy a tequila-based signature cocktail and heavy hors d’oeuvres at The Edge Seafood Restaurant and SkyBar and Harbor Docks as they are transported via Tiki Boats from Tailfins. Guests will have the chance during the afterparty at Tailfins to win prizes. Sponsors and in-kind donations are still needed for this event. Registration will be available soon on the ECAC website, https://ecautismcenter.org, for guests interested in attending. It’s a party for a purpose you won’t want to miss.
If you would like more information on either event hosted by the Emerald Coast Autism Center, or to make a donation, please visit https://ecautismcenter.org or email Jordan at ECACOutreach@ecautismcenter.org.
