Autism fundraiser ready to roll
Motorcycle ride to benefit local KidsAbility, raise awareness
Blake Schmidt was almost two when his parents got the dreaded diagnosis: autism.
“I cried,” says his mother, Alice Schmidt, upon hearing this familiar yet strangely unnerving word.
“I didn’t know what to do. When someone tells you your son has autism you don’t know what they mean. It’s mind-blowing.
“You don’t know where to turn to get information. They give you a bunch of papers. It’s disbelief.”
To make things worse, the family didn’t qualify for government supported therapies and interventions.
“He had no way to communicate with us, except by screaming,” she recalls.
So they paid out of pocket and, two years later, things have settled down. Blake is doing well in school — with help from an educational assistant — and things have happily normalized.
“They say he’s low-functioning,” she notes, pointing out that Blake isn’t yet potty trained and still needs help vocalizing.
“But he seems to us a ‘normal’ four-year-old. To me, he’s highfunctioning. He can do a lot.”
She laughs. “He’s no different from any other child. They don’t have to be treated like eggs. He just needs a little more support.”
Which makes her reason for supporting next Saturday’s TriCity (motorcycle) Ride For Autism twofold: The first, to raise money for KidsAbility so kids like Blake have access to autism services when they need it — as soon as possible.
“I’m hoping it will help another little boy or girl diagnosed at two get the funding we weren’t able to get, because early intervention is key,” confides Schmidt of the estimated 828 kids in Waterloo Region and Guelph still on the waiting list.
“If we would have had that when Blake was two, he may not have had tantrums and we could have communicated with sign language.”
The second, to educate the general public about autism, which affects an estimated 6,300 kids locally.
“I’m hoping to raise awareness for people who don’t have a kid on the spectrum,” says Schmidt, “so
they understand that when a kid is having a tantrum in the grocery store, it’s not the parents fault.”
She’s had this experience, among others, and the annoyed reactions of strangers haven’t been helpful.
“Don’t judge a parent until you live in their shoes,” she advises gently. “We’re trying our best. No kid comes with an owner’s manual. We have to figure it out day by day.”
The good thing about this fundraiser, says organizer Sierra Gregorio, is that the money will stay in the community, “to bridge the gap between early detection and government funding.”
“We wanted 100 per cent of the proceeds to go to children and that’s what KidsAbility does.”
The Tri-City Ride for Autism takes place Saturday, Aug. 26, at the Oriental Sports Club, 1054 Shellard Rd. in Cambridge. Registration is at 8 a.m., $30 per driver, $20 per passenger. Kick stands are up at 9:30 a.m. Pledge sheets are available. Collect $100 in pledges and your registration is free.
There will also be a post-ride barbecue and an “Epic Dance Party” at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15.
For information or to volunteer, call 226-218-5796 or email tricityrideforautism@outlook.com.