April 11, 2025
Local Fence Companies Gift Safety and Freedom to Tavares Child with Autism
By Kyle Coppola
Local Fence Companies Gift Safety and Freedom to Tavares Child with Autism
Tavares, FL – In a heartfelt display of generosity and community spirit, two local business owners in Lake County came together to provide a life-changing gift for a young child with autism and his mother.
Kristin Jenkins, a single mother living near the high-traffic State Road 19 in Tavares, had long faced the heartbreaking reality that her 2-year-old son, August—who has profound autism and is nonverbal—could not safely play outside due to his tendency to wander, a behavior known as elopement.
(Kristin’s son August has profound autism and is non-verbal. The fencing is a huge benefit and will be able to keep August safe.)
That all changed on April 7th. Bryan Maldonado, owner of Bam Fence, and Dal Waddell the owner of M&C Fence and Pressure Washing joined forces to install a secure fence around Jenkins’ yard—completely free of charge. The fence now provides August with a safe outdoor space for the first time in his life.
“This gift came at the perfect time,” said Jenkins, noting the significance of April as Autism Awareness Month. “These incredible business owners not only provided a fence, but they also gave our family peace of mind and August a new sense of freedom.”
The project, including labor, materials, and installation, was donated in full. The act of kindness has since resonated deeply throughout the community, serving as a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when people come together to help those in need.
Their contribution also highlights the urgent challenges faced by families of children with severe autism, especially those managing with limited income.
(The new fencing will allow August to go outside and play while being protected.)
“This fence has changed our lives,” Jenkins said. “Their kindness gave my son safety, and gave me something even more valuable—peace of mind.”
Thank you to both Bam Fence and M&C Fence and Pressure Washing for helping with this project and making sure August remains safe.
Photo Credit – Kristin Jenkins
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
