The local autism support group EPEC is celebrating National Autism Awareness Month in April with almost a dozen events, kicking off with a "Splash-In" event where families affected by autism enjoyed jumping in a therapy pool. Other weekend events included a rugby clinic hosted by local rugby clubs to help children with autism focus and play together. EPEC has planned various other events throughout April to raise awareness and support families affected by autism.

1. 8 April 15, 2009/Jam:" Good News
EPEe Splashes Into a Kick-Off of National Autism Awareness Month
Rutland, . VT
- National Autism,
Awareness Month is
being celebrated in a
big way this April by
Exceptional Parents of
Exceptional Children
(EPEC), a local autism
support group. To kick
off a series of almost
a dozen events, nearly
10 families affected
by autism jumped
into "Celebrate the
Spectrum" by jumping
into the water at the
Vermont Achievement
Center's Mitchell
Therapy Pool Friday
evening. As many
diagnosed on the autism
spectrum enjoy the
deep pressure of water,
the Splash-In served as
an appropriate way to
ring in tbis month-long
series of events.
While the
temperatures outside
dipped into the 40's,
nearly 25 children
and adults enjoyed
the warm water inside.
"Sometimes many of
these families don't
venture into public,"
admitted Heidi
Corcoran Wener, co-
chairperson of EPEC,
"so its great to see
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everyone having "Such
a wonderful time."
Characteristics of
autism can include
hypersensitivity to
bright lights, multiple
sounds at the same
time, and crowds of
people.
But the Splash-In
was just one "Celebrate
the Spectrum" event
that took place over
the weekend. Saturday
found a few of the
same families braving
the drizzly, windy
weather at Rutland
City'S Meadow
Street Park. There
Parents and children offamilies affected by autism braved the cool. wet and windy weather
at Rutland's Meadow Street Park recently for a rugby clinic held by the Rutland Rugby
Club and Green Mountain Girls Rugby Club. EPEC photo.
the Rutland Rugby
Club and the Green
Mountain Girl's Rugby
Can you hear the
birds this spring?
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Club made themselves
available to the group
for a two-hour Rugby
Clinic. Other common
traits of autism are
limited socialization
skills and challenges
with handling wide-
open spaces, and this
event was just the
ticket to he lp these
kids- to focus and play
together.
EPEC has a
variety of other
events scheduled
throughout the month
of April, including
an Autism and Law
Enforcement Safety
activity at the Rutland
Police Department
Wednesday April 8,
and a bottle d r ive
hosted by the VFW
Post 648 Friday and
Saturday April 17 and
18 from 7am until noon
each day. For more
information on these
and other events, you
may call Heidi at 802-
345-5006, Jon GiJberr
(EPEe Co-chair) at
802-779-3024 or visit
EPEC's web page at
www.geocities.com/
rutlandepec.