I LOVE EVERY PIECE OF YOU: Volunteers smile with kids at the Step N’ Stones Autism Awareness event held earlier this month.

THOMASVILLE — On April 1, Step N’ Stones Academy & Therapy Services held their second annual Autism Awareness Event.

Clinic Director and School Administrator for the academy Tinika Dismuke said that while Step N’ Stones is dedicated to its mission to serve and educate children with Autism, April is a special time of the year for their efforts.

“April is Autism awareness,” she said. “It is our mission to serve, to educate, to rehabilitate children with Autism, but we really take it up a notch for the month of April to bring awareness to the community about Autism and the spectrum of Autism.”

Their second time hosting the event, Dismuke said that the community had been invited, including the families of the students that attend their school to those who benefit from their therapy services.

“This was our second year that we held this event, it’s a community event where we invite the community, we invite our students that attend our academy and their families,” she said. “We also provide therapy services, so our clients that come for therapy, they’re all invited. We have fun games, food, treats, we have, usually, a speaker that will provide information to the community about Autism, in regard to awareness as well as acceptance of Autism.”

Alongside food and fun, Dismuke said that the students of the academy performed for attendees, giving speeches that included facts about Autism and even musical performances with the students singing for the community.

The event also included a fundraising brick sale with a goal of $20,000 that would be going toward the purchase of new school furniture and specialized equipment for the students.

“We started a brick plaza last year and we have asked community to literally step in and help us build the academy, brick by brick,” Dismuke said. “We ask people in our community, our family members, people that want to honor somebody with Autism to purchase a brick and it’s a donation to our annual fundraiser.”

The bricks, going for $100 each, could be dedicated to an individual of the donor’s choice, such as a supporting business from the community or to highlight a loved one or individual with Autism.

Overall, Dismuke said that the event went very well and that she was happy that she and the rest of her team had moved forward with the event, saying that is was a wonderful chance to meet with people from the local area.

“It was amazing,” she said. “We had at least 100 people that attended this year. From last year, we’re definitely continuing to grow, we definitely want this event to continue to grow and we’re always looking for opportunities to spread awareness.”

She said that this event, however, was only the beginning for their fundraising and awareness raising plans for April. From BBQ to local raffles, Dismuke said that they were pursuing numerous opportunities within the community, including the recent start up of their Light It Up Blue campaign.

“We also just started up our Light It Up Blue campaign,” she said. “For Autism, the color is blue and the symbol is a puzzle piece, so we’ve had blue bows made, we just kicked that off today, and we’re asking the city to join us in this mission to light up the city blue, to show awareness and support for Autism.”

}for $10 donations for the bows, Dismuke said that they were customized with Autism awareness raising accessories and could hang on the doors of local businesses to show their support.

“We made the bows, we customized them with Autism ribbons and pendants to showcase that they represent Autism,” she said. “We’re asking people of the community, and businesses to purchase a bow and hang on their door to show their support.

A Nationally Certified Speech-Language Pathologist and Certified Autism Specialist, Dismuke said that the Step N’ Stones Academy was a place to consolidate the teaching and therapy that benefits all children with Autism, continuing on to thank the local community for their vital support to the services they offer.

“The community has really been a support system for us, to help us get as far as we have on the academy side of things,” she concluded.