Be part of the puzzle at Any Baby Can’s 10th Annual Walk for Autism

Any Baby Can logoAny Baby Can’s 10th Annual Walk for Autism comes to Fiesta®! This two-mile walk is for the entire family and serves as an opportunity for the community to bring awareness and support to families with individuals of all ages diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. And for the first time, Any Baby Can’s 10th Annual Walk for Autism is an official Fiesta® San Antonio event. Join Any Baby Can at the AT&T Center on Saturday, April 12 at 8 a.m. and walk for a cause.

Any Baby Can Walk for Autism logoThis year marks one decade since the inaugural Walk for Autism. In the beginning, 250 people participated; since then, the walk has grown to include nearly 7,000 people joining the event to show their support, raising $110,000 in 2013. The walk provides a place for people to come together to make San Antonio more aware, thoughtful and knowledgeable about autism and the various resources available to provide support and education to those touched by autism. Whether you are a volunteer, family member, friend or advocate, your registration and participation help to fund Any Baby Can autism services such as counseling, parent training classes, case management, health and wellness, and more. Each year, the walk unites families, friends and individuals personally affected by autism.

“It is a day that we as an autism community can come together and celebrate our loved ones,” says Maribel Reyes-Delagarza, parent of a child with ASD. “When we first came to the walk, my husband and I just stood there, looked around and hugged. I told him ‘We’re not alone,’ and he said, ‘We are among people who know what we go through.’”

In addition to the walk itself, there are a variety of activities for attendees to participate in at the event including a tumble bus provided by Alamo Heights Gymnastics as well as hopscotch, blowing bubbles, chalk drawing, ball throwing and more. Other special areas are Rudy’s Playground—a space where therapists provide adaptive and sensory friendly activities—and the YMCA and local gyms offer fitness activities for individuals of all ages and abilities.

Another special aspect of this year’s Walk for Autism is Fiesta de Los Jefes—the annual Fiesta® event for both the San Antonio Police Department and San Antonio Fire Department. Fiesta de Los Jefes is now part of the Walk for Autism and is a great place for police officers and firefighters to interact with families throughout the event, sharing and educating on items such as Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) and more. By combining these events, Any Baby Can hopes families will become more familiar with the first responders and the services they provide to the community.

Walk Registration
Registration for Any Baby Can’s 10th Annual Walk for Autism is $15 per person through March 31, 2014; registration after this date is $20 per person. For more information or to register, visit www.walkforautismsa.com.

Tower Lighting
Be sure to mark your calendar for the Any Baby Can Tower Lighting on Tuesday, April 1! Tower of the Americas will light up blue for National Autism Awareness Month. The event begins at 7 p.m. with the tower lighting moment taking place at 8 p.m.

About Any Baby Can
For more than 30 years, Any Baby Can has provided many of services to families with children facing serious health or developmental challenges. For more information, visit www.anybabycansa.org or call 210-227-0170. For more information about or to register for Any Baby Can’s 10th Annual Walk for Autism, visit www.walkforautismsa.com.