Two upcoming events — “5th Fiesta at the Five” and the “Haulin’ Hooves” Bull Run — sponsored by the Spanish Fort Education Enrichment Foundation will be held in November to benefit a program for autistic children.

Proceeds will assist with funding other school projects.

Revisit your childhood by attending “5th Fiesta at the Five” at the Five Rivers Delta Resource Center on Saturday, Nov. 3 — just watch out for those who are hitting colorful piñatas. Small candies won’t spill out of the piñata, but two airline tickets may.

Proceeds from the event will help equip Spanish Fort High School’s autistic program with a multisensory room, called a “Snoezelen” room. These rooms have a calming affect on children with autism, said event chairperson and SFEEF board member Sherry Dewberry.

She said she learned a lot when she attended a recent Alabama Autism Task Force meeting about autism.

“The Alabama Constitution hasn’t been updated as far as Medicaid and Medicare are concerned and schools are losing out on funding,” she said.

The fundraising event will include live music and dancing, adult beverages and heavy hors d’oueuvres.

Dewberry said the organization wanted to do something a little different this year instead of the community concert.

Traditionally they have had events that revolve around families, and this will be a departure from past events, Dewberry said.

“What better way to get adults together,” she said.

The event features the Tyn Tymes, a Cammy award-winning band. The band will perform music from the 1960s to the latest hits. Visitors from Florida and Mississippi have already bought tickets just because they want to hear the band, Dewberry said.

Tickets to take a swing at the piñatas, which contain special prizes, such as airline tickets for two to anywhere in the United States, will be available at the event. One piñata will contain two practice tickets to a Master’s golf tournament in Augusta, Ga.

“We wanted to branch out and reach more people and make it fun,” she said. “It is a fiesta, and so it revolves around a party with a Spanish flair to celebrate the Toros.”

Around 400 participants are expected, Dewberry said.

“We have already exceeded ticket sales and sponsorships,” she said.

A chef from Grand Events will bring paella — an authentic Spanish dish — which includes crawfish and shrimp. Riley’s Catering will provide heavy hors d’oeuvres.

With the purchase of a $100 admission ticket, you get admission for two adults, four adult beverages and a raffle entry for a 42-inch plasma television.

The second big event will be the first “Haulin’ Hooves” 5K race and 1-mile fun run will be held Nov. 17.

Proceeds will benefit the autism program at Spanish Fort High School and provide teacher grants to area schools.

The race course will begin at the Eastern Shore Centre in Spanish Fort that Saturday. The 5K race begins at 8 a.m. and the 1-mile fun run begins at 9 a.m. Santa Claus will even be on hand to give out the race trophies.

Every year the foundation dedicates money to the area schools, Dewberry said.

As a result, Pam Manders, a Rockwell Elementary teacher, recently received a multisensory screen with a projector called a Promethean board for her classroom.

“Every year we dedicate money to each school so that teachers can apply for grants,” Dewberry said.

The foundation doesn’t focus on just one particular thing, she said. However, this year’s platform was autism, she said.

With approximately 2,500 school-aged children in Spanish Fort, “We really feel that we have raised awareness as far as autism is concerned,” she said.

Spanish Fort High School Principal Michael Lucci approached SFEEF last year and requested they continue “Project Outreach,” a program for autistic children, but felt like the students needed more to work with, Dewberry said.

Dewberry said that SFEEF wanted to educate the community and help raise money for autism.

“It was incredible dynamics when the Alabama House of Representatives put a task force together about autism. We couldn’t have had better timing,” she said.