Autism Society of Edmonton Area |

Jake Rakes in the Pledges for Cycle for Autism!

Sometimes the singled-mindedness of kids with autism pays off! Jake Lamoureux, 11, who lives in St. Albert, spent the weekend camping in the fields with his dad, an agronomist. “He got a little fixated on raising money for Cycle for Autism,” says his mom, Cathy Lamoureux. Jake asked some folks he met from Sturgeon Valley Fertilizers about pledging for Cycle for Autism. “He was tenacious and wouldn’t take no for an answer!” his mom says. Jake ended up raising just under $500 in pledges all on his own!

Cycle for Autism brings awareness to the issues individuals and families face when they are touched with autism. But more than that, it’s a fun way to come out and support individuals and families who live with autism in the greater Edmonton area. Choo Choo the Clown and Miss Giggles will be there for the little ones. Fat Franks and Starbucks will make sure no one gets hungry. And there will be gate prizes, too!

The Autism Society of Edmonton Area applauds Jake’s extraordinary efforts to help raise funds and build awareness of autism in our community. You can support Cycle for Autism by cycling, running or walking on Sunday morning, June 3 at Gold Bar Park in Edmonton. To find out more go to www.cycleforautismedmonton.com or call 780-453-3971. Want to help, but can’t get to the event? Support an existing team or make a donation by going to www.cycleforautismedmonton.com/make-a-pledge.

Pennies for Change

Save your pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves! That’s what students at King Edward School did. Under the direction of practicum teacher Alison Durand, students organized a two-and-a-half week penny drive and donated their pennies to ASEA – all $620.53 worth! The winning team earned a pizza lunch. But the real winners are the children, adults and families affected by autism, because this donation helps ASEA continue to deliver programs and services. Way to go, King Edward School! To find out more about this fun project, click here.

If every household donated their pennies to ASEA, think what we could collect! Pennies would really make a change – for the better for families and individuals living with autism. If you’ve got pennies, click here and ASEA will pick them up for you. Charitable tax receipts will be given for $25 worth of pennies or more.

After September, pennies will no longer be used as change in Canada. So let ASEA use your pennies to make change today!

Do It For Doodlebug!

Nicole is a 5 year old girl, famous for her smiles, giggles, snuggles and charm. Last year, she was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Her personality, charisma and determination are truly inspirational. So much so that last year, 85 family and friends got together to raise money and awareness for autism at the Cycle for Autism in Gold Bar Park. Team Doodlebug showed up to the event in bright yellow shirts, with one of Nicole’s favorite sayings on it (“Wait…waddabout me?!”) to honour and support her and her family. It was a great experience, emotionally, to witness and be a part of a team that was brought together because of one little girl: Nicole (aka Doodlebug)!

You can help kids with autism like Nicole, as well as adults with autism and their families, by signing up for Cycle for Autism. Put together a team, or support an existing team. Just visit www.cycleforautismedmonton.com to get started. It'll be a great day in the park, with friendly people, live entertainment, and tasty snacks like Fat Franks street vendor hot dogs and Starbucks coffee. We want to see you there!

What Do Starbucks and Fat Franks Have in Common?

They're both at Gold Bar Park on June 3rd! Are you?

Call for Volunteers:

On June 3rd, the Autism Society of Edmonton Area will be hosting its 3rd annual Cycle for Autism at Gold Bar Park. Choo Choo the Clown and Miss Giggles will be joining us and we hope you will too. Events like these cannot be held or operated without our valued volunteers to keep things running smoothly. This year Cycle for Autism Volunteers will be treated to Starbucks Coffee, a hot dog and beverage from Fat Franks, and an awesome ASEA T-shirt for the first fifteen of you who register.

We have a variety of activities to choose from, such as:

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ASEA's Autism Awards - Call for Nominations

On Monday, June 11, the Autism Society of Edmonton Area will be hosting its annual Autism Awards Evening. The awards are a chance to recognize those professionals, employers and workplaces that go the extra mile to improve the lives of people with autism and their families. If you know someone who fits the bill, please send in your nominations by Friday, May 25, 2012!

Nominations can be sent to autism@autismedmonton.org or 101, 11720 Kingsway Ave, Edmonton AB T5G 0X5.

Read on to learn about the different awards and download registration forms! Want to nominate someone who doesn't seem to fit into any of the categories? We're still interested! Send us a nomination or contact us. We'll see if we can find a way to acknowledge their special achievements!

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