Why We Walk: A Family Effort
By Pam Anderson
Editor's note: The opinions expressed herein are those of the author exclusively.
By Pam Anderson
Editor's note: The opinions expressed herein are those of the author exclusively.
Our daughter, Amy Baker, has two sons with autism. When Braden, who is non-verbal, was diagnosed this past February 12, I mentioned it to a friend who saw a Team Captain folder for Autism Speaks at her daughter's school and brought it to me. That same day I went online,
signed up, and formed Braden's Bunch in our local Walk Now for Autism. Not long after, in May, Braden's older brother Bryson was diagnosed with autism.
With locomotive speed, Amy expressed her feelings about her new circumstances in a video she created for an online fundraiser. As a part of the band Five for Fighting's What Kind of World Do You Want fundraising campaign, advertisers pay the video's designated charity up to 49 cents each time one of the videos is viewed completely. Before posting it, she showed it to me. With tears rolling down my face, I penned the words of a poem that she included in her video.
Amy chose to support Autism Speaks with her video. In addition to being a fundraiser, there was also a contest wherein prizes would be awarded to the top-viewed videos.
I was determined to get Amy's video into the top 20. I even made business-sized cards listing the website and viewing instructions. I passed them out to everyone who came to our house, to every store clerk I could talk to, and a few stores even let me leave a stack for customers to take. I passed them out in the surgery waiting room while my husband was having his 3rd and 4th back surgeries. I e-mailed the website to my entire contact list. Many of my friends forwarded it on through their contact lists. Many others were also spreading Amy's website through their e-mail. I kept telling myself, "I think it can! I think it can!", as I continued to pass out website cards.
When the contest ended, Amy's video had chugged up to 20th place on the fundraiser track! Amy's video won a second prize recognition & an autographed John Ondrasik (the lead singer) "Two Lights" CD! (There were 20 second, 4 first, and 1 grand prize awarded.) Of 126 videos posted, Amy's is now in 7th place from the top. You can see for yourself why her video did so well. To view it, go to: http://www.whatkindofworlddoyouwant.com/videos/view/id/264868.
Though living on opposite sides of the country, autism was the switch in the roundhouse that brought our family to this crossroad in our lives together. We now all participate in helping find a cure for autism in many ways. Amy is the chair for Autism Speaks' 2008 Inaugural Walk Now for Autism in Utah. I co-chair corporate sponsorships for the Autism Speaks Lehigh Valley (Penn.) 2008 Walk Now for Autism and am the team captain for Braden's Bunch, with much support from my husband Kip. Our daughter, Emily, is teaching sign language to her 3-month old son and her husband so they can communicate with Braden. At our son's wedding breakfast, everyone donned Autism Speaks pins. Our daughter Polly is majoring in Speech Pathology. Our daughter Nancy, as part of her HS senior project, spent part of the summer working with children with autism at a local elementary school. To top it off, all of Amy's grandparents have helped with Autism Speaks and Walk-related activities/responsibilities. It's an entire family effort, as all of our family and friends have jumped on board the Autism Speaks train.
With locomotive speed, Amy expressed her feelings about her new circumstances in a video she created for an online fundraiser. As a part of the band Five for Fighting's What Kind of World Do You Want fundraising campaign, advertisers pay the video's designated charity up to 49 cents each time one of the videos is viewed completely. Before posting it, she showed it to me. With tears rolling down my face, I penned the words of a poem that she included in her video.
Amy chose to support Autism Speaks with her video. In addition to being a fundraiser, there was also a contest wherein prizes would be awarded to the top-viewed videos.
I was determined to get Amy's video into the top 20. I even made business-sized cards listing the website and viewing instructions. I passed them out to everyone who came to our house, to every store clerk I could talk to, and a few stores even let me leave a stack for customers to take. I passed them out in the surgery waiting room while my husband was having his 3rd and 4th back surgeries. I e-mailed the website to my entire contact list. Many of my friends forwarded it on through their contact lists. Many others were also spreading Amy's website through their e-mail. I kept telling myself, "I think it can! I think it can!", as I continued to pass out website cards.
When the contest ended, Amy's video had chugged up to 20th place on the fundraiser track! Amy's video won a second prize recognition & an autographed John Ondrasik (the lead singer) "Two Lights" CD! (There were 20 second, 4 first, and 1 grand prize awarded.) Of 126 videos posted, Amy's is now in 7th place from the top. You can see for yourself why her video did so well. To view it, go to: http://www.whatkindofworlddoyouwant.com/videos/view/id/264868.
Though living on opposite sides of the country, autism was the switch in the roundhouse that brought our family to this crossroad in our lives together. We now all participate in helping find a cure for autism in many ways. Amy is the chair for Autism Speaks' 2008 Inaugural Walk Now for Autism in Utah. I co-chair corporate sponsorships for the Autism Speaks Lehigh Valley (Penn.) 2008 Walk Now for Autism and am the team captain for Braden's Bunch, with much support from my husband Kip. Our daughter, Emily, is teaching sign language to her 3-month old son and her husband so they can communicate with Braden. At our son's wedding breakfast, everyone donned Autism Speaks pins. Our daughter Polly is majoring in Speech Pathology. Our daughter Nancy, as part of her HS senior project, spent part of the summer working with children with autism at a local elementary school. To top it off, all of Amy's grandparents have helped with Autism Speaks and Walk-related activities/responsibilities. It's an entire family effort, as all of our family and friends have jumped on board the Autism Speaks train.
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