NORWICH – In recognition of April as Autism Awareness Month, local residents Christina Hendrickson and her husband Robert will hold their second annual Autism Awareness Walk at 1 p.m. April 10, beginning at the High School parking lot and ending at East Park.
As the parents of two autistic boys, Hendrickson and her husband both commented that the walk, and the subsequent gathering in East Park, is extremely personal for them.
“As long as we continue to grow every year, we’re happy,” said Hendrickson, who added that approximately 125 people participated in last year’s walk. “It’s so important to us to raise awareness for children with autism, and disabilities in general, since there are not a lot of resources locally.”
Due to that lack of resources, Hendrickson said her family travels to New York City to receive medical care for her two sons, although she admitted that they’ve got a “fantastic doctor.”
According to Hendrickson, 1 out of every 110 children are born with autism, and about 1 out of every 70 of them are boys, a statistic that has increased in recent years. She added that “every 20 minutes a child is diagnosed with autism in the United States.”
Following the walk, participants will gather in East Park, weather permitting, for barbecued chicken, served up by Dan’s Barbecue, and Hendrickson said she has already been collecting for the 50/50 raffle. Children will have the opportunity to enjoy a “bounce house,” and snacks will be provided, said Hendrickson.
All proceeds from the event will go to the Family Resource Network and its Autism Family Services program, a non-profit organization that focuses on providing day to day services for families affected by autism, such as after school and Saturday recreational programs, according to Director of Resource Development Heather Comstock, who stated that “our main focus is to give families and children dealing with autism the opportunity for growth.”
To purchase raffle tickets, or for more information, contact Christina at 334-9199.