2007 Autism Walk

I know you've been eager to hear more about this, so I don't want to let you down. They haven't announced the exact date for the walk yet, although they're saying "Spring 2007," and it will likely be in early June, as it has been in the past.

This past summer, two friends and I walked as individuals. We wanted to form a team for the 2007 walk, so while we walked we scoped out the other team names and t-shirt designs. We spent a lot of time thinking of potential names for our team, and as soon as we heard "Kelly's Pride," we knew that was it! That name is appropriate in so many ways, not just because it indicates how proud we are of our little Kelly Bean.

I've never been fond of fundraising (except for Girl Scout Cookies -- I'm wholly in support of Girl Scout Cookies). But this cause is so worthwhile and so in need of our help that I can justify pestering my friends and family for money. As I've said in other places, autism is more common than cerebral palsy, juvenile diabetes, or Down's syndrome, but it remains one of the least-funded childhood disabilities. It is affecting more and more of the population, and there is still no proven cause, treatment, or cure. (Yes, I've heard the mercury-in-vaccines arguments. No, I don't believe that causes autism. I'll be happy to explain my position but I will not engage in a debate on the matter.)

We've been blessed that Kelly seems to be pretty high-functioning. Still, even with her being on the mild end of the autism spectrum, we're constantly encountering new challenges or obstacles, whether we're trying to navigate the endless paperwork, keep track of appointments, track down what services are available and how to get them, advocate for her needs, etc. It's wearying, and some days it feels like there's never a break. As soon as you take care of one problem something new arises, so you never get to feel like you're making any progress. And this is all without taking into consideration the challenges that Kelly herself presents to us.

Don't misread me: Kelly has a beautiful personality, and I hope I don't have to defend my love for her. If you know me, you know how much I love all my daughters, and I have a special love for Kelly because she "needs" me more than the others do. Regardless of how much I love her, though, there's no arguing that she's been the most difficult of the girls. Behavior, discipline, health, communication ... everything has been more challenging with Kelly than with either Janna or Heather.

Which brings me back to the Autism Walk. There's a definite need for Autism Research, and the government isn't giving it much money, so we need to. Please consider helping out! Even the smallest donations help make a difference, so don't be deterred if you can't give more than a couple dollars. Everything is appreciated.

How Can You Donate?

- You can go to our team page to make a donation or -- even better! -- join our team. Once you're there, you can decide whether to donate on behalf of the team as a whole or a specific team member. Kelly's Pride Team Page

- You can go to my shop Kelly's Pride and buy "Kelly's Pride" merchandise. 100% of proceeds will go towards the Autism Walk.


Thanks for helping a worthy cause. God bless you!