A girl enjoys a bounce house at an event of Lighthouse Autism Center last month.
Submitted photo
GREENFIELD – Christopher Courderc says it can be hard finding local events for his son Theo, 7, to enjoy.
But a recent event for children with autism and their families was just what they needed for springtime fun in a safe environment.
Greenfield’s Lighthouse Autism Center had its spring festival April 21, where dozens of young learners and their families had a safe place to play and collect Easter eggs regardless of their abilities.
“I think they do a really good job there making fun events for kids who have special needs,” Courderc said.
The Shelbyville dad said his son has been at the center four years and he’s a “much happier kid” for the way they build routine and structure in an environment for children with autism. Theo can have difficulty sitting still, waiting in line or being quiet, for example, but at the spring festival everyone understood and it was in an environment the children were already comfortable with.
“A lot of our kids and our families aren’t able to go to big events; they can’t go to pumpkin patches or Easter egg hunts or get pictures with Santa because it’s just too overstimulating for them,” said McKinsey Jessup, assistant clinical director of the facility on Fields Boulevard. “This was for our families who don’t get to go experience those other events. Since it rained, we went all indoors; it was just a more welcoming and familiar place for our kids. It was an environment our kiddos felt familiar with, they could be themselves, and they were around other parents who had similar experiences and they could interact in whatever way they needed to.”
Building community was one of the goals of the event: the clinical facility can’t share information on clients with others, but the event allowed families to meet each other.
Sara King of Charlottesville said that was important to her and son Khristopher Brock, 4.
“We can give each other guidance because no autistic child is the same, but we can also offer guidance to each other on what you do with your child that seems to help with meltdowns or seems to help with life skills like teeth brushing; just to help you build skills to be able to grow with your children,” King said.
Khristopher has been enrolled seven months and he’s become much more social and verbal, she said.
“The therapists really do deserve a shout-out because I was at a loss before sending Khristopher to Lighthouse,” she said. “He’s my youngest child, but he’s my only child with autism so it was a completely different ballpark for me. These therapists have really helped him. I really have seen a big change in my son in just seven months.”
The spring event attracted about half of the facility’s clients. It follows similar summer and fall events from 2022, and each one seems to grow and become more successful. She’s grateful for donations from community businesses, as well as the “fun committee” that organized the event after regular working hours, putting in the extra time and effort for the children.
“When you see these kids and you meet them, something just changes within your heart,” Jessup said. “You see all their potential; you watch all their success, you want them to thrive in so many ways. A lot of the staff that stay for these committees, it’s because they want our families to experience life. If they can be a little part of that, it means the world to them.”
