Paula & Anthony Rich Golf Outing aims to support The Rich Center for Autism

YOUNGSTOWN Members of the community met at the Youngstown Country Club, located at 1402 Country Club Drive in Youngstown, to participate in the Paula & Anthony Rich Golf Outing after an eight-year break.

The event, called the Paula & Anthony Rich 'PAR' Golf Outing, took place on Monday and aimed to not only honor the legacy of the two people the event is named after, but also to support the Paula and Anthony Rich Center for Autism.

According to the release highlighting the event, Monday, the same date as the event, marks 31 years since the USAir Flight 427 plane crash that happened outside of Pittsburgh near the Pennsylvania and Ohio border.

All passengers aboard the plane died, including Paula and Anthony Rich, short for Ricchiuti.

To honor Paula and Anthony Rich's legacy, The Rich Center held the Paula & Anthony Rich 'PAR' Golf Outing. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Paula and Anthony Rich Center for Autism, situated on the Youngstown State University campus.

Phyllis Ricchutti, Co-Founder of the Rich Center, spoke to 21 News at the event, sharing more about her feelings on the event.

"Ironically, we didn't plan it this way, but today is the 31st anniversary of our kids' accident in Pittsburgh, and never in our wildest dreams did we ever think that we were going to do anything with it, and, I'm sure the public is aware but people kept sending us money and we ended up with $30,000, and we said 'what are we doing with this money? We can't keep it for ourselves'," said Phyllis.

The Rich Center for Autism was established in 1995 through the collaborative efforts of the Kosar, Ricchiuti and Rubino families, according to the release.

The center aims to prepare educators, medical specialists and other professionals on how to teach and care for those on the autism spectrum.

The release indicates that children are enrolled in the programs at the center regardless of their caregivers' ability to pay. Referral, treatment and support are provided at no cost to families.

Mike Latessa, Executive Director of the Rich Center for Autism, told 21 News that the center continues to help families today.

"It started 30 years ago as a summer program with just a few students, and, in fact, some of our original parents are here today, and it's grown now. We have 61 students in total," said Latessa.

Latessa went on to say that the money raised during Monday's event would go towards speech and occupational therapy, as well as art therapy for the center.

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