| On Sunday, June 10, 2007, members of the Bedford Fire Department, along with friends and family, participated in Autism Speaks' Walk Now for Autism annual fundraiser at Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York. In total, several thousand walkers participated in the event despite unseasonably warm weather and the threat of rain. As of the date of the walk, participants in the Westchester / Fairfield event alone had raised over $1 million while the Bedford Fire Department team has, to date, collected well in excess of $5,000 in donations for this worthy cause. We greatly appreciate the generosity and support of our supporters. Please visit the Autism Speaks website (www.autismwalk.org) if you are interested in making a donation.
Autism Speaks is an organization dedicated to increasing awareness of the growing autism epidemic and to raising money to fund research for a cure.
Autism is part of a group of disorders known as Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). ASDs encompass a group of neuropsychiatric disorders characterized by deficits in social interaction and communication. They are often associated with rigid routines and repetitive behaviors, such as obsessively arranging objects or following very specific routines. Symptoms can range from very mild to quite severe. Today, 1 in 150 individuals is diagnosed with an ASD, making it more common than pediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined. It occurs in all racial, ethnic, and social groups and is four times more likely to strike boys than girls.
We thank Donna Orrico for spearheading the Bedford Fire Department team. |
