MANSFIELD, Ohio — Despite the gray skies and brief showers, the track at the Richland County Fairgrounds drew dozens of walkers Saturday for the 10th annual Autism Awareness Walk-a-thon.
Tiffany Price said she was able to get a few laps in before the rain. She was accompanied by about 14 family members, each attending in support of Price’s four-year-old son, Logan, who was diagnosed with autism in January.
“We knew that Logan was autistic for about a year before we got his diagnosis–it just took awhile to get it all done,” Price said.
She said they noticed a difference in his verbal communication. “He started to speak a little bit when he was younger and then regressed–he stopped speaking,” she described.
He currently attends Richland Newhope’s preschool. “He didn’t start until the middle of the school year last year and he’s not even halfway through this year yet and they said he’s just grown so much,” Price said.
While autism hits close to home for people like the Price family, Kevin Flick, another walk-a-thon attendee, said he personally doesn’t have family members or friends with autism but that he wanted to come out and show his support of those who are affected by the disorder.
An employee of Kohl’s, Flick participated in the event as part of the Kohl’s team.
Proceeds from Saturday’s event will help local families afford autism services like transportation, sensory equipment, summer camp, GF/CF diet, therapies and iPads.
Debbie Melching, founder of the Autism Awareness Walk-a-thon, Inc., encourages Richland County residents who are affected by autism to apply for funding for autism services. To do so, they may email her ataawdeb@yahoo.com or call her at 419-589-8762.
The walk was dedicated to Melching’s late husband, Greg, who lost his battle with melanoma cancer in October of last year.
“He was always my biggest supporter and the muscle behind each and every walk,” Mechling said in the walk-a-thon’s newsletter.
Several local agencies had booths set up with information about the services they provide.
Melching said it’s important to help families know about the different resources that are available in the community.
The Autism Awareness Walk-a-thon, Inc. is a registered nonprofit organization that holds several events each year–including the annual walk-a-thon–to further its mission to raise autism awareness in the Richland County community and educate the general public about the complex condition that affects one out of every 68 children born today. To learn more about the organization, visit http://www.autismwalkathon.org/.
