Thank you Jamie&Jaclyn’s No Frills Napanee for their generous donation to the farm. As well as Milk And Cookies Cafe for donating 60 Alpaca rainbow cookies as a gift for those visiting the farm this date.
Jamie & Jaclyn’s No Frills, Napanee
This event was such a hit! Beautiful people coming together to enjoy a fantastic day.
Awareness efforts to support ASD in our local community of Napanee, Ontario.
Signage for “child with autism” was installed on our street to assist in raising awareness to local traffic. Aimed to caution drivers to take extra caution, as some children living on the autism spectrum do not recognize road dangers or road safety as easily as quickly as others.
I have been working with the Town of Greater Napanee roads department, and Marg Isbester – Mayor of Greater Napanee in advocating for this important sign in hopes to generate ASD awareness in our neighbourhood.
This is the face of a determined Mom, taking necessary steps to ensure the safety of her child who struggles with awareness of road safety.
This is what advocacy looks like. It takes time, patience and a whole lot of faith in your community.
I’d like to share my excitement with this gesture of inclusion, it has made an impact in my life. Thank you to everyone involved to make this happen.
Here’s what Jocelyn had to say about her experience during a visit to Hickory Lane Alpacas on October 25, 2020:
“I has so much fun participating in the sunset yoga at Hickory Lane Alpacas last weekend. I felt so relaxed on the farm, it was so quiet, peaceful and the animals had this calming effect on me. There were many different animals there including: a horse, alpacas, pigs and almost every type of bird I could imagine.
I was allowed to pet and feed the alpacas and hold a baby goat! An interesting fact about the farm, is that each alpaca has a unique haircut to match their personality. This made me smile the entire time I was there.
I really believe everyone should experience this hidden gem in our community.”
*Hickory Lane Alpacas, admission is free, however, they do accept friendly donations.
To assist us with spacing and numbers feel free to RSVP by email at: mailto:lac.autismnetwork@gmail.com or check “going” on the event page.
LACAN welcomes Sarah Fisher, Director/Associate as newest Member
Sarah has been involved with the community for a number of years and we are very excited to have her knowledge, experience and positive attitude with us at LACAN. Please join us in welcoming Sarah to our team.
“My name is Sarah Fisher, I reside in the Town of Greater Napanee. My son is 15 years old and he lives on the autism spectrum.
Our journey has been adventurous in getting to where we are today. We look forward to sharing our experiences with you, and the network to help advocate for positive change in our community.
We were given an opportunity to work with Queen’s Psychology Clinic, who are remarkable in advocating for kiddos on the spectrum. The continous gratitude we feel has no words.
For 15 years I have worked with the vulnerable persons population. My career blends well with our personal values and ethics. Not only as a family, as an individual.
Today I am pleased to announce my partnership with LACAN as we advocate in commitment to educate the community about autism and those on the spectrum.
Looking forward to joining our community in neurodiversity.”
This year was the Second Annual Autism Awareness Month the Town of Greater Napanee has supported. Our community has raised the bar of awareness for ASD.
We observed diversity supporting posters, blue lightbulbs, radio announcements and social media postings from you–all in the community.
The first step is to be aware the second step is to understand. Understanding leads to education and inclusion.
LACAN’s awareness campaign has begun to shine a light on a spectrum that lives right here in our town.
Check out the most recent article in the local newspaper The Napanee Beaver.
We are so proud of the success in raising enough funds to go towards an inclusion project for the community.
We have been so fortunate to partner with Community Living Lennox and Addington on this project. Barb Fabius has many years of experience to help us get this project right. We couldn’t be more pleased to have their support.
Sarah has been involved with the community for a number of years and we are very excited to have her knowledge, experience and positive attitude with us at LACAN.
Please join us in welcoming Sarah to our team.
Director/Associate Member
My name is Sarah Fisher, I reside in the Town of Greater Napanee. My son is 15 years old and he lives on the autism spectrum.
Our journey has been adventurous in getting to where we are today. We look forward to sharing our experiences with you, and the network to help advocate for positive change in our community.
We were given an opportunity to work with Queen’s Psychology Clinic, who are remarkable in advocating for kiddos on the spectrum. The continous gratitude we feel has no words.
For 15 years I have worked with the vulnerable persons population. My career blends well with our personal values and ethics. Not only as a family, as an individual.
Today I am pleased to announce my partnership with LACAN as we advocate in commitment to educate the community about autism and those on the spectrum.
Looking forward to joining our community in neurodiversity.
‘Changing the Face of Autism in our Community.’ As pictured above, 1 in 4 persons diagnosed on the spectrum are female, and 1 in 66 individuals in Canada are diagnosed with ASD.
As October’s end is nearing, I’d like to leave you with final thoughts of our campaign aimed at awareness of individuals living within the autism spectrum. Although it goes without saying, we don’t need a campaign to spread awareness, however it has provided a great opportunity to engage with local businesses, media and residents who may not have been aware of autism and how greatly it affects our community every day.
I’ve had a chance over the last few weeks to reflect on the many achievements our community has brought forth in this short month.
The Morningstar Mission has continued to serve hot meals for many individuals in our community who otherwise would not have seen a warm meal over the holidays and beyond.
The list of volunteers who cook, package and deliver these meals is never short of volunteers, which is heartwarming.
I have observed our community working tirelessly to social distance and endeavour to remain close to their friends during these challenging times. Spirits remain high, which I believe reflects strongly on the leadership our community is providing.
Our local businesses continue to show us the value of shopping local, which I believe is the heart and soul of our community.
Our elected officials continue to work hard to maintain a safe place for us to live, work and play.
I am thankful for all of these things.
I am even more thankful for community, I am never disappointed with the show of support for its people. This is the Second Annual Autism Awareness Month the Town of Greater Napanee has seen. Our community has raised the bar of awareness for ASD.
I observed diversity supporting posters, blue lightbulbs, radio announcements, social media postings all from YOU the community.
This fills my heart with joy!
The first step is to be aware, second step is to understand. Understanding leads to education and inclusion.
LACAN’s awareness campaign has begun to shine a light on a spectrum that lives right here in our town.
Hank, Alexandria, Noah and Justin are just a few of the extrordinary individuals living in our community with ASD.
As pictured above, 1 in 4 persons diagnosed on the spectrum are female, and 1 in 66 individuals in Canada are diagnosed with ASD.
Autism Facts:
*The 2018 National Autism Spectrum Disorder Surveillance System (NASS) Report estimates autism’s prevalence as 1 in 66 children in Canada. This includes 1 in 42 boys and 1 in 189 girls.
*An estimated 50,000 teens with autism become adults – and lose school-based autism services – each year.
*Around one third of people with autism remain nonverbal.
*Around one third of people with autism have an intellectual disability.
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the above-mentioned persons because without their contribution in this project it would not have been possible. I believe our lives would be a little less sparkly!
Mandy
Special mention goes to Becky Hinch Photography, for making these portraits possible. By contributing her time and talent in such an amazing way this campaign allowed us to raise awareness of ASD in a beautiful way. Thank you for making our community a better place!
If you want to see more of her great work, check out the Facebook link attached below.
Autism Awareness Month October 2020, Feature Friday.
Justin, Age 45
My name is Justin and I am 45 years old. I live with Autism Spectrum Disorder but there’s a lot more to learn about me then just an autism label.
I have many hobbies like; doing crafts, listening to music and volunteering.
My ultimate past-time is making collages. My favourite collages to make are ones including MyFM radio station. MyFM holds a special place in my heart and I really love spending time there.
Before COVID I did some volunteering at MyFM and I can’t wait to be able to go back. During my time at MyFM everyone was welcoming and nice to me, that’s what made it so very special.
Being able to volunteer was fun because I got to try new things. This was really fulfilling to me because it gave me responsibilities that were meaningful. I love being able to work and be a part of a team.
I have been living with Community Living since 2002 and I’ve been doing well there. There is a house cat named Taj where I live, he’s a good friend to me.
(Community Living supports individuals with intellectual disabilities live to their fullest potential within their community as independently as possible.)
When I go to social events, with family or friends I like it but only for a little bit then I like to recharge alone. I prefer to do things alone compared to groups of people. Being with people makes me feel tired, just being around a lot of people is exhausting.
(Masking is when an autistic person hides their feelings and discomfort in situations from others. Keeping secret what’s really going on inside them to “blend-in”.)
There is one thing I would like everyone to know about me, especially my neighbours, is that I am a very happy person. I’m a nice person and no different than anyone else really.
If someone wanted to be my friend, they could ask me how I am doing. It’s nice to have friends to make sure I am doing well and check in on me to see that I am doing ok, and I would do the same for them.
Justin
Special mention goes to Becky Hinch Photography, for making these portraits possible. By contributing her time and talent in such an amazing way this campaign allowed us to raise awareness of ASD in a beautiful way.
Thank you for making our community a better place!
If you want to see more of her great work, check out the Facebook link attached below.
This group is a parent-led support group, closed to the general public.
It is a private group for individuals, caregivers, parents and caregivers of persons with exceptionalities.
It remains a safe place, to ask the hard questions and get honest answers to frequently asked questions related to autism spectrum disorder and related diagnosis.
There are no bad questions! Looking forward to hearing from you.
My name is Noah. I am almost 16 years old. I will be getting my drivers license this winter.
I have four cats and two dogs. My favourite pet is Arwyn (cat). I love spending time with her because she’s very cuddly and she makes me feel calm. When I was 5 years old I was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome with ADHD. If I could explain to my neighbours what it’s like having Autism, I would tell them it’s been hard making friends and I feel overwhelmed when I have too many things to try and focus on at one time.
Autism has also been good for me because I’m very smart and am really good at things that I’m interested in, like computers and hockey. Since we were able to have an early diagnosis and intervention, I have been able to work towards better social skills and learning how to push myself out of my comfort zones.
A lot of people do not realize I’m ASD but it doesn’t mean I still don’t have struggles every day. The day can be extra exhausting trying to keep myself together for other people. This is why I enjoy alone time. In my spare time I like to play games on my phone, draw and play hockey. I have been a house league goalie for Napanee Stars for about 7 years. I prefer to do things alone but sometimes I enjoy hanging out with friends.
Something about myself I would like to share is that I have awesome curly hair and usually like having it long. In a few years, I hope to go to college and have a career in Computer Technologies.
Noah
Special mention goes out to Becky Hinch Photography, for making these portraits possible. By contributing her time and talent in such an amazing way this campaign allowed us to raise awareness of ASD in a beautiful way. Thank you for making our community a better place!
If you want to see more of her great work, check out the Facebook link attached below.
When it was first announced back in July, Netflix’s Love on the Spectrum caused a big stir in the autistic community. The show follows a group of young adults on the spectrum as they navigate the world of relationships and dating. While these things are challenging for neurotypicals, they can be even more so for people on the spectrum. How would the show’s producers treat their subjects? Would they present a balanced and realistic view? Or would it be overly sentimental to the point of being saccharine?
As part of Autism Ontario’s broader initiative to examine how autistic people are portrayed in the media, we assembled a focus group of adults on the spectrum to review Love on the Spectrum. The group consisted of self-advocates Aaron Lenc, an employee of the City of Brampton; Matthew Lemay, professional writer; Courtney Weaver, freelance writer; and, David Moloney Autism Ontario Board Member. Michael Cnudde, self-advocate and Specialist Communications and Project Development, Autism Ontario, moderated the panel. Aaron’s mother, Tania White was also present.
“I was enthusiastic about it when I first heard about it,” says Courtney Weaver. “There are unfortunate stereotypes that autistic people are incapable of romantic love, or just don’t want romantic love. It was interesting to debunk this stereotype.”
Aaron Lenc looked forward to the show for another reason. “I really liked this show because I want a girlfriend, but I want to learn how to date. I learned from it and it was a good start.”
Other panelists commented on the presence of Jodi Rogers, a relationship expert who works with people on the on the spectrum on the show and provided guidance and support where it was needed.
“I personally really liked Jodi. I have worked with people like her in the past,” said Matthew Lemay. “I feel like the general population thinks that after a certain age people with autism don’t need help, and that’s not necessarily true. She was a wonderful addition to the show as she was able to bridge the gap between what people were needing.”
The idea of having someone acting as mentor is important, said David Moloney. “They need to proceed with the utmost of care, and really listen to the people they are profiling.”
“I thought it was easy to watch, refreshing, and the candidness of the participants on the show was so good,” said Courtney. “I laughed out loud when one of the established couples said, ‘When it comes to the two of us as a couple, I am fire, and he is water. When we are together it gets steamy.’
Aaron found the series very accessible. He watched all five episodes first by himself, and again with his family. “We paused and talked about what was happening,” said Aaron’s mother Tania White. “That was very helpful and a great resource for us as a whole family.”
Each panel member seemed to have their own favourite cast member. For Matthew it was Michael, whom he expressed a kinship for. “I had a few that I liked… I enjoyed Jimmy and Shenae. They were cute as a couple and their experience was lovely. It made me teary.”
“My favourite person in the show was Olivia Sharp,” said Courtney. “When she said, ‘Living on the spectrum was like living in a transparent box.’ Mentioning that barrier between people was an astute observation.”
Aaron found the show very relatable. “I liked Kelvin because his autism was like mine, he noted. “I hope there is a second season.”
All the participants agreed the series was worthy of another season and hoped its producers would expand its cast to make it more diverse to include Black, Indigenous and people of colour as well as more LBGTQIA2S+ representation.
A second season would be especially useful, said Aaron’s mother Tania because it might also explore understanding rejection and picking up social cues. “Even being able read the cues so it doesn’t cross the line when experiencing rejection is a necessary skill.”
An issue for many portrayals of autistics in the media was inclusion, fairness, and realism, which the panelists discussed. “I agree that people were portrayed fairly,” said Courtney. “With the genre of reality TV, there is a certain narrative and 1:1 interviews and editing take place within this genre. This was done as organically as you can do this.”
Matthew agreed with Courtney, adding, “There are certain editing and narrative decisions in a show that are unavoidable, but people were treated and portrayed as organically and fairly as possible.”
It is important for producers and writers to listen to people on the spectrum, said David when portraying people with autism. “Often people cast individuals who aren’t representing people on the spectrum as they should be…We should be represented as diverse, appreciated, hard-working, welcomed in society, and enhancing the social framework. Inclusion everywhere.”
