It's the time for the annual Phoenix Zoo Walk for Autism. Our family has been walking since 2005 and it's become an annual tradition. For those of you who may not be aware, my nephew Ethan was diagnosed with autism at about 18 months. The Zoo Walk is our families way of contributing to the knowledge and research which is necessary to better understand this dynamic and diverse disorder. Through Jamie & Reed's interaction with other members and organizations within the autistic community, they found out about the Zoo Walk several years ago. It's now become a family affair, something all of the kids look forward to.
Every year we go, I'm surprised at the number of people who participate and who obviously are affected by autism. With the fact that 1 in 150 births are affected by autism, it is a sure bet that every person today knows someone who is autistic or who has an autistic family member. Here are some facts about autism that you may not know:
- Autism is the fastest growing developmental disability.
- Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain, impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills.
- Autism is growing at a startling rate of 10-17 percent per year.
- Many people with autism lack or have limited speech.
- People with autism often have severe sensory issues.
Public education is one of the goals of the Autism Research Institute, the beneficiary of the proceeds from our Zoo Walk. Our family has personally benefited from the efforts of the ARI, and therefore we want to give back.This year, in an effort to beat our goal of $1,000 raised, we are holding an Autism Crop. For all you "non-scrapbookers", that's a day where scrapbook enthusiasts get together to spend hours doing their favorite thing...scrapbooking. So here's another way you can help us raise money for autism research. Here are the basics:
Crop for Autism
Saturday, September 26th from 2:00 - 8:00pm @ La Casita Recreation Center -- 2719 S. Reyes, Mesa, AZ 85202
Tickets for the crop are $30. ALL proceeds will go to the Autism Research Institute through the Phoenix Zoo Walk. We can guarantee a good time for all. Purchase your tickets online today -- Ethan's Superheroes - Crop for Autism.
You're help can make all the difference!
