A Bartlett organization is making autism easier to understand while creating a fun event for all area families. The first Autism Awareness Festival, hosted by Transformations Autism Treatment Center in Bartlett, will kick off on April 25 in their parking lot, rain or shine.
The festival is designed not just for autistic children and their families. The center welcomes all to the event to promote a closer community, an understanding of autism during the month that highlights it, and awareness of the center’s services.
The event will be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in their parking lot, and everything is completely free.
“It is for the general community,” said Transformations’ finance director, John Holtzman. “It’s for them to become aware that, number one, there are individuals in our community who have got autism and that we are here as a center and we are able toto offer help and hope to families that are dealing with this.”
The event will include shows and music on a main stage, a crafts fair, food, games, face painting, bouncy houses on the property’s green spaces, and more. People who want to tour the facility will also get a chance to view it at scheduled intervals.
“There are not a lot of (autism) resources in the community, and that’s the reasonn we’re trying to reach out,” Holtzman said.
Participation
Community members are invited to attend as vendors, volunteer at the event or just come and enjoy the festivities.
Sponsorships are available at $400, in exchange for enthusiastic publicity provided at the event and online. The center’s Facebook page alone has about 5,000 followers.
For more information:
- Call the center at (901) 379-8827.
- Email info@transforming autism.com.
- Visit the website at transformingautism.com.
- See the latest updates about the festival on the center’s Facebook page.
- Visit the Autism Speaks website for general information about autism.
Written by Carolyn Bahm, Express editor. Contact her at (901) 433-9138 or via email to bartlett.editor@journalinc.com.
