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Their Voice: Making a place in our community for everyone

Daily Herald - 7/31/2017

I attended the Spanish Fork Fiesta Days rodeo on Monday night and saw a very lucky young man with what I assumed was his mother. Upon seeing him with his iPad in hand and headset on I immediately deduced that he had autism. The reason I considered him lucky is that despite his diagnosis and the sensory issues that must create barriers for him, he had family that was willing to find ways to make sure that he could participate in all of the festivities of the day. The headset that he wore and the iPad that he carried were simple but highly valuable accommodations that were made on his behalf to make sure he could tolerate, but enjoy the evening.

I believe that community inclusion is important to most people with disabilities. It provides new experiences, activities, excitement and variety to what might otherwise be a routine, secluded life. However, it can also draw stares from well-meaning but perhaps poorly informed people around them when they stand out in any way.

That is why I think there needs to be a good balance in their life between reaching out and experiencing all the things provided through the foreign environment that is their community and also taking advantage of the safety and security of activities that are designed to accommodate the many things that cause them apprehension.

It is for that reason that we are so fortunate in our valley to have so many organizations that have the sponsorship, support and ability to create events for them to attend, make new friends and share similar experiences. I also think that it helps families create their own communities with others who really understand what is involved with raising a child or caring for someone with a disability.

The Autism Resources of Utah County Council is one such organization that creates such events throughout the year. They are able to pull resources from a number of organizations that on their own would have the ability to create such successful events. Their motto "Together We Do More" is most evident to those who are able to participate in these frequent opportunities.

On Aug. 5, the "Summer Carnival" will be held at the Utah Autism Academy at 1875 S. Geneva Rd. in Orem. Because of the combined resources, the admission is free and open to all who are interested in attending. Events of the day include water games, bubbles, bounce houses, wagon rides, balloon animals, food and much more.

The advantage to these activities is that with the combined knowledge and experiences of the providers, a safe and worry free environment can be created to give families a higher sense of security knowing precautions have been taken. They also have taken into consideration the possibility that some of the children may become overly stimulated and need a place to relax and regroup. One factor that brings families back to this particular carnival year after year is that it is done on a smaller scale but spread out over a large area.

My hope is that we will continue to see this trend of sharing our community events like the rodeo that welcomes and supports people with autism while still providing other events specific to their unique needs. That balance will come with the continued support of organizations like ARUCC and their members and corporate sponsors like Vivint Gives Back.