New Milford Autism walk and party to support neurodiverse community

NEW MILFORD, Conn. — There’s an opportunity for unity and understanding April 7. 

Two organizations – the Litchfield Hills Transition Center and the New Milford Youth Agency – will co-present an autism walk and party from 4:30 to 7 p.m.

The event, which coincides with World Autism Awareness Day a few days prior, aims to promote understanding and acceptance of those with autism spectrum disorder.

“We’ve been trying to expand our services to all neurodivergent kids in town,” said Maria Leo, youth advocate at the Youth Agency. “Over the past two years, we’ve been trying to get more events, activities, and support (for all) and this is part of that initiative.”

Autism Spectrum Disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects a person's ability to navigate social interactions and can cause repetitive and restricted behaviors.

Tyler Hottes, 22, a student at Litchfield Hills Transition Center, a part of New Milford Public Schools, emphasized the importance of the walk as an educational opportunity and a resource.

“It’s for people to know we have disabilities and so that people can better understand other people in our community,” he said. 

“It’s to meet new people, meet new friends, and to basically socialize with other people in the community,” he related.

The event will run from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at The Maxx, 94 Railroad St. Festivities will begin with the walk at 4:30 p.m.

Participants will head to Roger Sherman Town Hall at 10 Main St., where they will join Mayor Pete Bass and Dr. Janet Parlato, superintendent of schools, in raising the Autism Awareness Flag on the flagpole outside of town hall.

Participants will then walk back to The Maxx for a pizza and ice cream party.

Students ages 18-22 at LHTC organized the party and activities, and designed the event flyer.

LHTC works with students who qualify for services after they leave high school. The program helps improve employability skills, increase independence, and build stronger independent living skills.

Leo said the Youth Agency met with LHTC last year to discuss activities that would be fun for neurodivergent individuals to do, including those in the LHTC age bracket. Students, some of whom are on the spectrum, recalled the former autism walk held on the Green pre-Covid.

“They brought up bringing the walk back because they all remember it from years’ past,” Leo said.

From there, the event blossomed.

LHTC teacher Roxanne Kraft said a small committee of students formed “and took it and ran with it, from making the flyer, getting the information out, and choosing the decorations” for the event.

Streamers, balloons, and table decorations in blues, reds, and yellows will color The Maxx for the party, according to Abby Muckerman, 21, who helped plan for decorations.

Tyler, who will graduate from LHTC this year and loves technology, spearheaded the flyer design with help from others, including Abby.

The flyer for the autism walk and party was designed by students at the Litchfield Hills Transition Center in New Milford.

“I’m proud of them,” Kraft said. “I love seeing that they’re doing something that involves the community and that they’re working collaboratively with the Youth Agency to make this event happen.”

Leo said she is also impressed with the students’ skills, noting they not only created the flyer, but “they went around town and talked to the mayor and invited the superintendent of schools” to the flag-raising ceremony.

Abby said she was “kind of nervous” when she reached out to the mayor. She wanted to ensure the email was well put together and “professional.”

When the mayor replied, Abby was delighted. “It made me feel happy because he wants to be around us, and he wants to understand people with special needs.”

World Autism Day aims to highlight the need to improve the quality of life for people with autism and ensure they can lead full and meaningful lives as an integral part of society.

The world designation was adopted in 2007 by the United Nations General Assembly as a way to promote understanding, acceptance, and inclusion for individuals with autism worldwide.

For more information and RSVP to the event, email Maria Leo at mleo@newmilfordct.gov by April 4.

SAFE PLACE

The Youth Agency offers a program, Safe Place, twice a month for neurodiverse children and those with special needs, as well as their families, to provide a comfortable environment where individuals can freely express themselves and make connections with others.

Neurodiverse is defined as displaying or characterized by autistic or other neurologically atypical patterns of thought or behavior.

The program, held at The Maxx, 94 Railroad St., the first and third Monday of each month from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., is open to the public.

“It’s so great,” said Tracey Ruscil of New Milford, who attends with her family, including twin sons, AJ and Garrett, 15.

Courtesy of Tracey Ruscil/Twins AJ, left, and Garrett Ruscil, 15, attend the Safe Place program through the New Milford Youth Agency.

She said her boys enjoy participating because “they get to know kids from other towns and then when they’re in unified sports, they recognize each other.”

New Milford Youth Agency Youth Advocate Maria Leo said attendees are split into two groups. 

Youth are encouraged to go one area of the Maxx with volunteers, LHTC peer models, and staff to have “social interaction and find their community.”

Other attendees, including parents, siblings, and friends are gathered in another area so they can connect to “find support systems, vent, or just be heard and understood without judgement,” Leo explained. 

“People from New Milford and surrounding towns get together,” Ruscil said of the event. “Kids hang out and the helpers keep an eye on them, and the parents can just relax, listen to different speakers, learn about available programs, and participate in training sessions.”

Ruscil emphasized the value of parents spending time together to connect and learn from one another.

Safe Place began with three participants and has grown to 22.

“We try to bring the community together to empower students that do have autism, or have friends who have it,” Leo said.

For more information and RSVP for Safe Place, email Maria Leo at mleo@newmilfordct.gov.