April 7th: Autism: A Self-Portrait

In 2007 Autistic Services produced a documentary titled AUTISM: A SELF-PORTRAIT. The documentary made its debut last year on Think Brink just in time for Autism Awareness Month. We're proud to say that Autism: A Self-Portrait returns to Think Bright on April 7th. It airs on Ch. 21 at 8:30PM. This eclectic documentary focuses on the Autism population at Autistic Services with a special focus on five our individuals who talk about themselves and their life with Autism. Oh...and if you're an early bird, it airs again on April 8th, at 5:30am

April 12th:
It's Fun. It's Informative.
It's an education class and it will help your child gain a better understanding about their brother or sister’s autism diagnosis. Autistic Services is proud to present another Sibling Education Group for children ages 7-12 on Saturday, April 12, 2008 at our main location at 4444 Bryant Stratton Way. Please click on the link below for registration and program information. 

      Hurry, registration is limited!

April 24th:
Eat, Drink and Raise Money for Autism.
After all that running around this month, you must be hungry. No problem. Our Annual Spaghetti Dinner is back and will be held on Thursday, April 24th from 4:00-7:00 p.m. If you would like to volunteer to work at the dinner, contact Frank Andzik at 631-5777 ext. 304. Dinner costs are as follows:
Adults $7.00 Seniors $6.00 Children ages 4-10 $5.00 Children under 3 are free. Come join the fun!

April 26th:
We're Building Bridges.
Join us for Building Bridges: Sensory Strategies for Individuals with ASD.

Paula Aquilla, OT, co-author of the book “Building Bridges Through Sensory Integration,”will describe how sensory processing differences and needs can impact learning and behavior in both the home and school settings.

Join us at Classic V Conference and Banquet Center in Amherst. Time: 8:45am thru 12:45pm. Rates are $10 for Professionals, $5 for Parents & Individuals with ASD.

The 20th Annual Developmental Disabilities Awareness Day conference will be held on Thursday, May 22, 2008, from 8:00 am - 4:00 pm at the Buffalo Convention Center. This event, which is open to the public, will bring together approximately 1500 people including individuals with developmental disabilities and their families, human service agency representatives, and local officials to explore current issues in the field. The day will include speakers, workshops, vendor exhibits, live entertainment and an awards presentation.
 
Jason McElwain nicknamed “J-Mac”, is a young man with Autism who became suddenly famous in 2006 for scoring twenty points in four minutes during the last basketball game of the season at Greece Athena High School near Rochester, New York. For Jason, his four minutes produced more than 15 minutes of fame. Following his popular appearance on CBS Evening News, everyone wanted to know about “J-Mac.” His celebrity status now includes a meeting with George W. Bush, a movie deal with Columbia Pictures, which will be produced by Earvin “Magic” Johnson, and guest appearances on Oprah and The Today Show. To top it off, he has now released a book called, “The Game of My Life: A True Story of Challenge, Triumph and Growing Up Autistic.” J-Mac will be presenting a workshop, promoting his book and will be available to the media for interviews during his visit to Western New York.

For information on attending the conference, please call (716) 805-1555. 

 Of course you wanted to know that “The Sears PowerMate Vacuum Cleaner Picks Up Potato Chips On The Cushioned Chair.” Who wouldn’t want to know that? And there is a lot more where that came from. And on April 11th it’s all moving over to the WNED Gallery on Lower Terrace St for an Opening Reception of this fun and inventive work by our individuals with Autism. This will be our 2nd trip back to the WNED Gallery, but you will have the opportunity to make multiple trips. The exhibition remains publicly open from the 14th thru the 25th.

For Autism Awareness, I have my own personal rubber stamp that I use as a supplement to my signature for all my correspondence. Although it is small in size, it is a big reminder to people about our growing Autism population. The stamp will not go away when April ends. People with Autism are here long after April 30th. When May comes, they are still here with us. So it makes sense that Autism Awareness is not just a month. It is a year long, life long journey for all of us.

This April we have been very fortunate to have a number of events lined up at different venues. Hopefully, we will see you at some or all of them. However, April is only a fraction of what we are offering for the rest of 2008. The message of Autism Awareness must be taking hold in Western New York, because our entire monthly calendar will see us traveling throughout the community, orchestrating some kind of artistic or musical event for the public. We will be posting our schedule and latest travels on our community website: www.friendsofasi.com. Make sure you visit the site often to stay abreast of what we are doing.

When we first started with our mission of reaching out to the community through the arts, we often had to call various galleries and shops to see if they would have us. Now, they call us. It is a terrific feeling to know that our mission is catching on and that the community is reaching ahead through our outreach program. More importantly, it is great to know that the typical population understands that Autism Awareness is actually a year long celebration.

Veronica Federiconi,
Executive Director