(PALMER, IA June 1, 2012) As the days count down for ESPN’s annual X Games competition, participants in the annual action sports extravaganza are busy putting the final pieces of preparation together for the pressure packed contest. For Nevada native Matt Buyten, the defending gold medalist in Step Up, this year’s preparations are a little bit different. As Buyten looks up at the Step Up bar some thirty feet overhead this year, he will do so on his familiar Honda CRF450 machine…albeit in a different hue. Buyten’s bike will feature blue and gunmetal chrome plastics in an effort to help promote autism awareness. The color blue and the puzzle piece are international symbols for autism, a disorder that now affects an estimated 1 in 88 children. For Buyten, autism is a cause that hits close to home.
“The Riesenberg family is one that is very close to me, and their oldest son, Elijah was diagnosed with autism a few years ago. During their fundraising events for world autism awareness month this year, I approached the family about doing a blue set up for X Games to help the cause. After the event, I will be signing the plastic and we will auction it off as a fundraiser for ERAAAP*. They loved the idea and here we are today,” said Buyten.
“To have an athlete like Matt, wearing blue for autism on a huge stage like the ESPN X Games, reaching millions of people with the message of autism awareness is simply awesome. Awareness is where it all starts, and with the increase in the prevalence of autism, every chance we get to spread the word is huge. I can’t thank Matt enough for his initiative and involvement in a cause so near and dear to my heart,” said Jeremy Riesenberg.
Buyten is also collaborating with Mathew Dalton’s “Autism MX Project” to feature the Autism MX logo prominently on his setup. For more information about The Autism MX Project, log on to autismmx.org
Be sure to tune in to the Step Up event Friday, June 29th, live from Los Angeles on ESPN and see Matt Buyten riding for a reason, promoting autism awareness and looking to defend his X Games gold medal.
*ERAAAP is the Elijah Riesenberg Autism Awareness & Action Project, a non-profit group that benefits local, regional and national programs for autism.
For press inquiries, please contact Jeremy Riesenberg (Jeremy@stormlakeradio.com)
