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A walk for autism

Local organizers marking World Autism Awareness Day with a walk through Cranbrook on Saturday.
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A Walk for Autism

Two organizers are hoping to raise awareness on autism and local support programs offered by local service groups and non-profit organizations with a walk through Cranbrook this weekend.

Ursula McCulloch has taken the lead in setting up an Autism Awareness Walk that will march through Cranbrook streets, starting and ending at Steeples Elementary School on Saturday, April 2, at 11 a.m.

The walk, which was pitched by Carolyn Maclean, who is organizing the event alongside McCulloch, is just one event in communities across Canada that is marking April 2nd as World Autism Awareness Day and the month of April as National Autism Awareness Month.

"We start at Steeples school then down 24th [St.] then over towards the Alliance Church and then back down the strip to Victoria, to Sixth Avenue and back to Steeples school," McCulloch said. "I think it's 3.8 kilometres, so a short walk."

The event is not a fundraiser more than it is a public display of awareness for people with autism and service groups who provide services to people with autism.

McCulloch is encouraging all participants to bring signs and wear blue colours, which is part of the Light It Up Blue campaign to raise awareness and celebrate  the unique talents and skills of people with autism.

There will be booths present from groups like East Kootenay Behaviour Interventionists, as well as East Kootenay Child Development and Cranbrook Society for Community Living.

"Creston Community Living has therapeutic riding that they do…Carolyn, she uses the Creston Theraputic riding quite often and so she asked them to come," McCulloch said. "Blue Lake has a week where they do a camp for kids with special needs and so they'll be participating as well."

Copper Point Resort has donated a grand prize of a night's stay that will be drawn at the end of the walk, while Sandor Rental has donated a bouncy castle. The Cranbrook Bugle Band and Aspire Dance will be on hand to give performances.

 



Trevor Crawley

About the Author: Trevor Crawley

Trevor Crawley has been a reporter with the Cranbrook Townsman and Black Press in various roles since 2011.
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