Best Foot Forward!
World autism awareness month 2021: Walk for Autism!
Photo by Henry Xu on Unsplash
The National Autism Awareness Month is 49 years old this year. Just one year short of fifty years of unwavering dedication to spreading awareness, promoting acceptance, and igniting change for people with autism all over the world. Now 2020 was an exceptionally hard year for many of us, with the pandemic resultant anxiety, restrictions, and general inactivity. For many autistic people, adjusting to the new way of life (especially as relates to face coverings) has been exceedingly difficult causing them to recede further and further into seclusion.
Thankfully 2021 brought with it vaccines, reduced restrictions, a return to some form of normal, and for all of you in the Northern Hemisphere, an abatement to the cold, harsh winter that was upon us. We are all slowly being let out into the great outdoors in small socially distant groups.
Having survived the year that was 2020, the international community of persons with autism, caregivers, government entities, healthcare providers, family members, compassionate and concerned people from all walks of life will come together in the month of April 2021 to spread kindness and autism awareness.
There are several ways to get involved, depending on where you are in the world, but this article is going to focus on the Walk for Autism Challenge (WAC). The WAC is a UK-based fundraising activity that challenges everyone to walk 10,000 steps a day from the 26th of March 2021 to the 2nd of April 2021 to raise awareness and funds to support people with autism in the UK.
Photo by Юлія Вівчарик on Unsplash
This amazing initiative is absolutely brilliant as it is available for anyone to participate at their own pace and in their own time, and participants can get involved with members of their immediate family all the while adhering to the lockdown regulations that are currently in place. There are no designated walkways and you can take on the challenge by just doing your regular errands -like going to buy food or walking your dog.
If you’d like to get in on the action, you can do so in four easy steps. First, you’ll need to register on the official website and let like-minded people know that you are getting involved in this fundraiser. Secondly, you’ll need to create your page. Your page tells your autism story, explaining why you would like to fundraise and or walk for autism. You can do lots of cool things with your page including add pictures of your fundraising journey.
Step three is all about the money! By which we mean putting your money where your mouth is (er- fingers are). You will need to make the first donation to your page as a sure sign of your commitment to the cause. The money you donate will be used to support the autism community in important ways by helping the Autism Initiatives Group to deliver much-needed services. The good people at Walk for Autism will then send you a T-shirt that will proudly declare that you are an Autism Champ! (the T-shirt doesn’t actually say so, but we know you who are) – because not all heroes and heroines wear capes.
Photo by Chase Chappell on Unsplash
Last but definitely not least, is step four which we have called the Humble-Brag. As you do your part in making this world a better place for people with autism, you’ve got to tell the whole world about it. It comes with the awesome package that you are and we agree! Post your progress on your social media page so your family, friends, followers, and loyal minions can all be dazzled by your all-around greatness and perhaps get tempted to walk for autism too – and hang with the cool kids!
There you have it! The 2021 Autism Awareness Walk- UK & Ireland. Catch you there.
Learn more here.