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  • Supporting those with Autism Spectrum Disorders

    Supporting those with Autism Spectrum Disorders

    By Devan Mighton, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Tilbury Times Reporter

    On Wednesday, April 2, many people around the world will observe World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD). April is also Autism Awareness Month, representing a spectrum disorder that the World Health Organization estimates afflicts one of every 100 children in the world and, according to the 2019 Canadian Health Survey, one of every 50 children in Canada.

    The recorded prevalence of autism has increased dramatically in recent years due to improved screening tools, broader diagnostic criteria, and increased awareness, and it is very common. Males are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) four times more than females. Individuals with ASD present with a wide range of abilities and challenges, and there is no known cure. However, through applied behaviour analysis, speech therapy, and occupational therapy, people with autism can gain various skills and improve their quality of life outlook.

    ASD affects the communication skills and behaviours of those with the disorder and can present challenges in how an individual deals with social interactions, communication, and sensory processing.

    WAAD and Autism Awareness Month are important tools in raising awareness and understanding among the public about these disorders, how people and families are affected, and how you can help.

    “The importance of Autism Awareness Day and Month cannot be understated,” said Autism Services Inc. executive director Jillian Fenech. “Increasing autism awareness paves the way for autism acceptance. In the last decade, we’ve seen a huge increase in the public’s awareness of autism spectrum disorders. The more people know about autism and how different people may show their autistic traits, the more we can normalize the concept of neurodiversity. The world needs all kinds of minds so when we improve people’s understanding of autism, we can celebrate these differences.”

    Autism Services Inc. is located at 3640 Wells St. in West Windsor.

    Fenech began working with autistic children in 2005, performing various roles, such as an interventionist, senior therapist, consultant, and clinical supervisor. After she had her first child in 2010, she began to notice “red flags” in her child and by 23 months of age, her beautiful daughter was diagnosed with autism. Since then, Fenech says that they have undergone speech therapy, intensive behavioral intervention, sensory integration, and social skills groups.

    “At ASI, we are actually getting a head-start on the WAAD celebrations with a pasta dinner at the Moose Lodge on April 1st,” explains Fenech. “It is $10 per person for pasta, salad, and rolls and a whopping 80 per cent of the proceeds come right back to ASI to support our clients.” This year’s event will run from 4-7 pm, and they hope that it will carry on last year’s excellent turnout.

    On April 2, Fenech will spend the morning with elementary school children, teaching them all about autism.

    “While World Autism Awareness Day and Autism Awareness Month is important to us, we don’t limit these presentations to just the month of April,” adds Fenech. “We offer these presentations all year round and tailor the material to your specific audience. So, a presentation to a JK/SK class is vastly different from the presentation at a secondary school. Autism Services Inc. wants to make sure that everyone who wants to learn about autism gets that information in a way that is meaningful for them.”

    ASI holds a variety of events throughout the year to raise awareness.

    “This year we will also host our second Family Fun Walk to raise autism awareness,” she says. “This awesome event will allow families to collect pledges to raise funds for the Bruce Awad Summer Program throughout the month of April. Then on Sunday, April 27, ASI and other community partners will join together to walk for our cause and participate in hands-on activities that our community partners are offering. This gives our clients and their families a meaningful opportunity to connect with others and learn about the services and supports available in Windsor-Essex. In addition to these activities, we will join in with other community services providers and charities in their celebrations of the autism spectrum.”

    They invite everyone to participate in the walk, regardless of whether you collected pledges or put together a team for the event. Also, you do not have to have a loved one who is autistic to participate. If you want help, you are welcome to volunteer. “We can always use a smiling face and an extra set of hands when we’re having a fundraiser,” explains Fenech.

    ASI also offers customizable presentations to the public, whether you have a soccer team with an autistic child on it, or you’re a grandparent in a retirement community, they will build their presentation to meet your needs and will offer a Q&A session afterwards.

    “Autism Services Inc. has been offering an amazing program for over 40 years,” she states. “The Bruce Awad Summer Program is an awesome six-week program that runs in July and August. We offer a high ratio of staff to students and have days that are jam-packed with fun. Our long-running partnership with the Windsor Essex Catholic District School Board allows us to offer this program in an elementary school setting both in the city and in Essex. In the mornings, we try to help these students maintain the skills they’ve built over the school year through classroom activities individualized to the students’ needs. Then, afternoons are the same things you would expect to see any kid doing in the summer: trips to the park, playing and learning outdoors, and swimming three times a week – our students ride a school bus to a community pool to swim for an hour.

    “As you can imagine, the Bruce Awad Summer Program is expensive to run. Between the high ratio of staff and the activities planned, we could always use financial support. While we receive funding through the Ministry of Child, Community, and Social Services, we rely heavily on alternate sources of support such as grants, donations, and fundraising efforts. In addition, volunteering your time, offering your talents or services, or in-kind donations are greatly appreciated. To make it easier for people to contribute, we post a “Wish List” of supplies that are vital to keeping our clients happy, relaxed, and engaged.”

    ASI is making inroads in our community to promote neurodiversity and create understanding in the general public about ASD and the needs of autistic people.

    “The more we embrace and seek to understand neurodiversity, the closer we get to meaningful inclusion and sense of belonging,” says Fenech. “There is a great quote by Liz Fosslien that sums it up perfectly: ‘Diversity is having a seat at the table. Inclusion is having a voice. And belonging is having that voice be heard.’

    “As the parent of an autistic teen, this is the truest sentiment. I don’t want people to include my daughter because it ‘checks a box’ or ‘looks good’. I want people to include her for the richness and value her perspective will bring.”

    For more information on Autism Services Inc., please visit their website at www.AutismServicesInc.com.

  • Lakeshore Helping Lakeshore’s 2nd Annual Spring Food Drive – Stuff the Bus!

    By: Matt Weingarden, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Lakeshore News Reporter

    On Sunday April 13th from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., Lakeshore Helping Lakeshore will hold a ‘stuff the bus’ event at two locations – the Atlas Tube Recreation Centre and Rymerson’s Your Independent Grocer, located at 345 Notre Dame Street in Belle River.

     

    Donation boxes will be going out to the following locations leading up to the event: BR Vape, Good Neighbour Club, Comber Library, Emeryville Post Office, Your Wooden Treehouse, Lighthouse Cove Variety, FACCA INC. St. Joachim Post Office, Stoney Point Library and Windsor Pure & Clean H2O To Go!

     

    The Lakeshore Helping Lakeshore organization is always looking for volunteers, specifically high school students who need their community hours Email us at lakeshorehelpinglakeshore@gmail.com or by phone: 519-919-7211 (Dawn) 519-816-5817 (Chantel).

     

     

  • Fire causes $2M in damages in downtown Tilbury, community rallies to support displaced residents

    By Mike Su, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Tilbury Times Reporter

    A fire in downtown Tilbury Friday evening caused an estimated $2 million in damages, destroying businesses and displacing several residents.

    Chatham-Kent Fire Rescue responded to the blaze at 18 Queen St. N. just before 7 p.m., deploying crews from six stations, including Tilbury, Raleigh North, Merlin and Wheatley. A total of 58 firefighters and 18 fire apparatus worked to contain the flames.

    Upon arrival, firefighters encountered heavy flames and thick black smoke billowing from the second storey. The mixed-use building housed businesses on the ground floor and apartments above. All occupants had safely evacuated before emergency crews arrived, and no injuries were reported.

    Despite efforts to control the fire quickly, the structure sustained extensive fire and water damage, leading to a roof collapse. Due to safety concerns, the Ontario Fire Marshal’s office declined to attend, citing the risk of further structural failure. Municipal engineers and economic development officials have taken over the investigation, but the cause of the fire remains undetermined.

    Authorities say the extent of the damage may lead to the building’s demolition.

    Residents displaced by the fire are receiving assistance from victim services and Chatham-Kent police. Former Tilbury councillor and community advocate Mark Authier has been coordinating relief efforts for those affected.

    “We have five people displaced from their apartments due to the fire,” Authier said. “The Tilbury Help Centre has agreed to collect items for them.”

    Authier shared that one displaced resident, a senior woman, is in need of clothing and grocery gift cards. A mother with two children has also lost their home, and community members are working to gather the necessary sizes and items for donations.

    The Tilbury Help Centre at 26 Queen St. N. is accepting contributions, including clothing and gift cards.

    Century 21 Local Home Team, one of the affected businesses, announced a temporary closure due to the fire.

    “Due to an electrical fire in the apartments adjacent to our Tilbury office last night, we are temporarily closed for safety reasons,” the company said in a statement. “However, we are business as usual, and our agents remain fully available to assist you with all your real estate needs.”

    Several businesses suffered fire, water or smoke damage, including Main Street Hairstyles, Hair By G, Shear Perfection, Century 21, and Mai’s Nail Salon.

    Authier expressed gratitude to the firefighters who battled the blaze, especially given the strong winds that threatened to spread the fire further.

    “My heartfelt wishes go out to the businesses and employees who were affected. I hope they can rebuild and reopen soon,” he said.

    “To the tenants that lived above these businesses, I hope you will be able to find another apartment in town.”

    Chatham-Kent Fire Rescue has yet to determine the cause of the fire. Authorities urge anyone wishing to support affected residents to donate to the Tilbury Help Centre.

     

  • Belle River/ Rochester Goodfellows gift bike to resident in need

    By Matt Weingarden, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Tilbury Times Reporter

    Many of us know that sinking feeling when we have been of victim of theft. Imagine losing something that is your personal lifeline to everyday living. Michelle, a Belle River resident is that victim.

    Michelle has cerebral palsy and depends on the bike to get around town. She used her adapted trike for a variety of things, such as grocery runs and visiting family and friends.  After she moved into a new building last year, the specialized bike was stolen on the first night. She has been without a bike for a year now.

    “The bike she had stolen had been her transportation, her independence, it meant everything to her,” said Chris, a personal friend of the victim. “She had moved into a new residence…and somebody took the locked bike the very first night she owned it.”

    According to Rick Anderson, Belle River/Rochester Goodfellows president, everyone knows Michelle in Belle River.

    “If you saw that trike out in front of Tim Hortons, Foodland, Shoppers, you knew she was in the store,” said Anderson.

    “The Goodfellows had a meeting, and we decided to replace the bike. We do special things like this if it comes to our attention, and if it wasn’t for the community, we wouldn’t be able to do this.”

    So, the Goodfellows set about quietly finding a replacement trike.

    Blaise Baillargeon, owner of Source for Sports in Belle River, assembled and adjusted the trike on his own time as a way of giving back to the community. He also provided a new lock for her.

    “The bike is a three-wheeler that is stable and good for getting around,” he said. “However, in her case the bike needs to be set up to accommodate her special needs. You can’t just go out and purchase a replacement bike.”

    “This is just good for the community and the right thing to do,” added a humble Baillargeon.

    The bike was shipped from Ohio.

    “If it wasn’t for the community and our vendors, we wouldn’t be able to do anything like this,” said Anderson. “The organization is more than just our basket giveaway during the holidays, if we hear of those needing assistance through the year, we step up and assist but, it’s the community that donates to our banquet and especially our newspaper sales. All proceeds are used to help those in need throughout the year.”

    Friend Chris speculates that someone had planned the theft out in advance, cutting all three locks with bolt cutters.

    Getting around was going to be a challenge as public transportation was difficult for her to use and taxicab and Uber expenses are out of reach.

    “It was really hard on her, she’s independent, and it’s been very hard for her to ask for assistance over the past year,” said Chris. “What the Goodfellows have done is give her an amazing gift…one she is very grateful for…it means a lot to her.”

    “You can tell she was very happy by her face when she received the bike,” Chris added. “It’s a great step to regaining that independence and getting her life back in balance.”