Step Up for Autism take place September 24

Crystal Peelman (holding her son Mason) presents $2,000 to Paul Cesana, the President of TRC Foundation.  The money represents a portion of the proceeds from an April fund-raising event hosted by the Randolph Area Autism Coalition.  Mrs. Peelman, one of the main organizers of the Randolph event, said the coalition decided to donate the money to TRC Foundation to support the foundation’s second annual “Step Up for Autism” event.  Looking on as Mrs. Peelman presents the money are Tess Kerzner, left, The Resource Center’s Children’s Services Coordinator, and Heather Brown, TRC’s Director of Individualized Services, who oversees the SUCCESS program.

Plans are under way for the second annual Step Up for Autism walk, to be held Saturday, September 24, in Celoron.  The event is being coordinated by The Resource Center and TRC Foundation with support from parents and village officials.

The event will begin and end at The Resource Center’s Administrative Offices at 200 Dunham Avenue.  Participants will walk to Lucille Ball Memorial Park on the shore of Chautauqua Lake, then return to The Resource Center (a distance of about 1.5 miles) for food, children’s activities, live music by The Untouchables, a cake auction and prize drawings.

Step Up for Autism was created last year after local parents lamented that there was no social skills training available in Chautauqua County for children with autism spectrum disorder.  So in July 2010, The Resource Center established SUCCESS (which stands for Supporting, Understanding, Changing, Coping, and Everyday Social Skills), a program that helps children and young adults with autism learn social skills to enable them to better interact with the world around them.

In addition to raising money for the SUCCESS program, Step Up for Autism provides an opportunity for community members to show their support for people with autism by taking part in the walk.

The suggested entry fee is $20, but donations of any amount will be accepted – organizers just want to have a huge turnout.  Those paying the registration fee will receive a 2011 Step Up for Autism T-shirt and lunch the day of the event.

Registration begins at 9:00 a.m., with the walk scheduled to start at about 10:15.

There also is an opportunity for people to earn prizes for themselves by raising money online for Step Up for Autism.  Prizes range from a $20 gift card for raising $150 for Step Up for Autism, to a $100 gift card if you raise $550.  For more information or to create your personal fund-raising web page, visit www.firstgiving.com/trcfoundation.

Sponsors of this year’s event include Cable 8 News, Countertop Solutions, Cummins, Gamerz Haven, Randolph Area Autism Coalition, Support Enterprises, United Refining, and 106.9 KISS FM.

For more information or to register, contact TRC at 483-2344, or visit the web site – www.stepupforautism.com.