Autism Society of Greater Akron Celebrates
“A Better World for Autism,” During April
AUTISM AMBASSADORS ANNOUNCED
(Akron, OH, April 3, 2014) – The Autism Society of Greater Akron, part of a network that forms the nation’s leading grassroots autism organization, will launch several awareness activities to commemorate National Autism Awareness Month (NAAM) this April.
Laurie Cramer, Executive Director of the Autism Society of Greater Akron, said “In honor of National Autism Awareness Month, we are excited to announce the first class of Autism Ambassadors as part of our April activities. These special members of our community have given their time, support, and resources in ways that directly impact those with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), their families and caregivers. These Autism Ambassadors are key partners in helping to make our community “A Better World for Autism,” the theme for this year’s celebration.”
There will be a reception for the Autism Ambassadors Thursday, April 3, at 6:00pm, in the Autism Society of Greater Akron’s offices located at 2858 W. Market Street. In addition, activities are being held throughout the month of April designed to raise awareness of autism and to offer opportunities for those impacted by autism, and the general public, to learn more about autism and local resources.
Cramer continued, “The Autism Society measures how we are achieving our mission by certain “Quality of Life” indicators, including School Inclusion, Friendship and Social Connections, Health and Wellbeing, Academic Success, Autonomy, Independent Living (to the extent possible), Independent Employment (to the extent possible), Subjective Wellbeing and Recreation and Leisure.
“The Autism Ambassadors fall into several of these categories and we thank them for helping us to achieve our mission here in the Greater Akron area. The following people were voted on by the Autism Society of Greater Akron’s Board of Directors as people who directly worked with our organization in making Greater Akron a “Better World for Autism!”
Mark Farrar- Akron Police Sergeant, Founder of FirstAid4Autism – For training hundreds of first responders and others throughout Greater Akron and Ohio identifying and working with those with autism, improving the safety conditions and experience for all involved.
Jim Mansfield- General Manager, Stonehedge Family Fun Center – We host our family activities bowling events at Stonehedge and always find the experience welcoming and friendly. We thank Jim and his staff for working with us over the years; it has become a favorite among our families!
Joe Mazur- President and CEO, International Soap Box Derby – When we first approached Joe about partnering his first answer was “Yes,” and then it was, “Now what?” Autism Awareness Day at the FirstEnergy All American Soap Box Derby was born! It is now a wonderful annual tradition. We thank you for being so open to working together and for your energy and enthusiasm for bringing the Derby to us!
Kate Miller- Area Director of Marketing & Business Development at Simon Property Group, Summit Mall – Our favorite aspect of working with Kate is her eagerness to create the perfect experience for families living with autism. Kate goes out of her way to ask questions and try to accommodate everything she can so that everyone leaves happy. We are proud that our partnership has resulted in the Summit Mall Caring Santa and Caring Bunny events being the most successful of their kind among the Simon Mall properties.
Brian Poe- Superintendent, Copley-Fairlawn School District – Brian eagerly embraced partnering with us to host iCan Bike, our annual bike camp that teaches people with different abilities of all ages how to ride a two-wheel bicycle. Brian also invited the graduates to use the high school track for practice. Additionally, we thank the staff and community volunteers, including the students, janitorial staff, and teachers, for supporting the camp.
Diana Ray Flasco, Expressive Arts Therapist – Diana approached us with her idea of how to create a different kind of social and life skills class. She named it Aspergers Boot Camp (ABC). Diana has truly made a difference for three years now in the lives of adults, teenagers, and couples on the autism spectrum! ABC is a series of social/life skills classes offered for free in partnership with the Autism Society of Greater Akron.
Margie Skyrm, Special Education Teacher, Retired – Margie is a familiar face at our events, always holding the babies and making sure everyone is having a good time. There is a reason Margie is our Volunteer of the Year. Her devotion to improving the lives of those impacted by autism is evident through her years of hard work and service.
Tricia Twarogowski, Branch Manager, Akron-Summit County Library, Northwest Branch – When Tricia called us to partner on “Sensory Storytime” we knew right away here was someone who would make it happen. Thank you, Tricia, for creating the Sensory Storytime program! You brought the library to us, opening the doors to a world of interactive stories, music, and fun…and, by the way, we don’t even know that we’re learning and socializing, too!
Pastor Bill and Brittany Wendell- Christ United Methodist Church – Pastor Bill and his wife, Brittany, are the embodiment of passion for children with autism. They have taken their knowledge as a pastor and special education teacher and added heart, dedication, and commitment in creating The Connection, a special needs ministry, and the Kingdom Sports Camp. These two programs enhance faith and spirit for many of our families.
Cramer concluded, “We thank our Autism Ambassadors for their extraordinary dedication and commitment to helping to improve the lives of all living with autism!”
Calendar of Events: Join us at a local NAAM Activity!
April 10: Movies @ Main, Main Branch of the Akron-Summit Library, 6:00pm. HBO’s Temple Grandin movie.
April 13: Caring Bunny, Summit Mall, 8am – 10:30pm, event for children with autism and any different ability, reservations required.
April 14: Parent-Professional Exchange Night, Autism is Forever, What Now? Main Branch of the Akron-Summit Library, 6:00pm. Dr. Jessica Emick, Pediatric and School Psychologist, will share how caregivers and parents can weed through the many therapy options for children with autism. ASGA will offer local resources.
April 19: Sensory Storytime, 10:30am & 11:30am, Northwest Akron Branch Akron-Summit Library. Join us for a program offering educational, literacy and social opportunities for children of all ages with differing abilities, their siblings, parents/caregivers and typically developing peers.
April 23: Your Piece to the Autism Puzzle, Sgt. Mark Farrar, Main branch of the Akron-Summit Library, 6:00pm. This workshop is for the general public and teaches about the causes of autism, the common behaviors exhibited by those with autism, and how to de-escalate and have a successful encounter with a person with autism. .
April 30: Dinner and a Cause, Bricco Restaurant, 1 Exchange St., Akron, 4:30pm – 8:00pm. Bricco’s annual Dinner and a Cause donates 20% of the proceeds of food sales to the Autism Society of Greater Akron.
###
Background
About Autism: Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental disability that typically appears during the first two years of life and affects a person’s ability to communicate and interact with others. Autism is defined by a certain set of behaviors and is a “spectrum disorder” that affects individuals differently and to varying degrees. There is no known single cause for autism, but increased awareness and funding can help families today.
This April, the Autism Society and its local network of over 100 affiliates and partner organizations in the autism and developmental disability field will focus on how to create a “Better World for Autism,” and focus on accomplishments and successes of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
The Centers for Disease Control just released updated statistics about autism, reporting that 1:68 children have an ASD in the U.S.
About National Autism Awareness Month: Established in the 1970s to highlight the growing need for concern and awareness about autism, April is a special opportunity for everyone to educate the public about autism and issues within the autism community. Autism affects 1 in 88 children born in America today; the need for services and supports is greater than ever. Learn more at www.autism-society.org/naam2014.
About the Autism Society of Greater Akron: The Autism Society of Greater Akron works to improve the lives of all affected by autism in Summit, Medina, Wayne, Portage and Stark Counties. We touch lives locally by helping individuals with autism, their families, and those who support them find needed services and resources. Our programs are targeted toward our core mission areas of enhancing the quality of life of individuals on the autism spectrum and include family, educational, and community initiatives. For more information go to www.autismohio.org/greaterakron.
About the Autism Society: The Autism Society, the nation’s leading grassroots autism organization, exists to improve the lives of all living with autism. Together with over 100 affiliates nationwide, the Autism Society increases public awareness about the day-to-day issues faced by people on the spectrum, advocates for appropriate services for individuals across the lifespan, and provides the latest information regarding treatment, education, research and advocacy. For more information, visit www.autism-society.org