Do you have your blue light bulb or clear blue acetate yet to help show awareness when World Autism Awareness Month begins on April 2?
Simply swap out regular outside lights with blue ones and burn those lights all night long. Or place a blue light in your window. Or tie a shiny blue ribbon on a tree in the parkway. Or put blue reflectors in your yard.
According to the Little Friends’ website, all Home Depot stores started carrying blue LED light bulbs in March. But you can always purchase blue filters or gels to put on existing lights.
A recent news story from the Naperville Park District noted that new colored lights will shine blue on the Moser Tower with the 72-bell carillon during April. Showing support can be more than bright blue lights. Wearing anything blue will do.
The Center for Disease Control estimates that 1 in 88 children in the United States will be diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Currently, there is no cure for autism, but with early diagnosis and intensive therapy these children and their families are seeing outcomes that only a few years ago didn’t seem possible.
Our community is blessed to have many organizations carrying the banner for autism awareness, including Little Friends, Inc., Turning Pointe Autism Foundation, WDSRA and Giant Steps, etc.
Upcoming Events
Events are planned throughout the month. Turning Pointe will host a Continental breakfast at 7PM Tues., April 2. The public is welcome.
Little Friends will present “The Changing Face of Autism” at 7PM Thurs., April 4, in Meiley-Swallow Hall, located at 31 S. Ellsworth Street on the campus of North Central College.
Then on Sun. June 23, Little Friends again will host Step Up for Autism along the Riverwalk. Register online at: stepupforautism2013.kintera.org.
As news of additional events is received, the happenings will be posted. Raise awareness with all the folks coming together to enlighten the world about the spectrum of autism every day of the year.
