The current time is
Fab 5 Fights to Cure Autism
»
Tracy Ahrens
-
Neighbors
-
09.18.08
Playgrounds are places that encourage children to discover new things, spark imagination and creativity.
Last year, while playing at Don Belcher Park, located in the Lake Walden area of Manteno, friends Lily Kelderhouse, 11; Felicia Wendling, 13, and Megan Wendling, 11, started dreaming about an event.
They wanted to raise funds to help find a cure for autism. Lily's brother, Rudy, 3, has this brain development disorder.
"I babysat for Rudy before his parents knew he had autism," said Felicia. "When he was older, Lily, Megan and I were at the park one day and had the idea to do a fund-raising walk for him."
In June of 2007, the Kelderhouse family participated in the annual Kilbride Family Classic 5k Run and Walk for Autism in Kankakee. Lily, Felicia and Megan knew they could model their event after the Kilbride one, but focus their walk on Rudy.
story continues below »
The trio started organizing what they would call Kids for a Cure Autism Walk. Their first walk took place in August 2007 beginning and ending in the park where they dreamed of the event. The walk wound its way through their neighborhood, following Lindsay Street, Poe Street, Sandberg Drive and West Longfellow.
The girls informed their parents of the event plans and started walking door to door in their neighborhood, explaining the upcoming walk and asking for donations. All of the funds raised would go to Autism Speaks, the nation's largest organization dedicated to funding and facilitating autism research. See www.autismspeaks.org.
As Autism Speaks notes in their literature, by working together, the missing pieces of the puzzle pertaining to autism will be found.
At the Kids for a Cure walk, Lily, Felicia and Megan led participants and carried cardboard cutout signs that looked like puzzle pieces. The pieces read, "Team Rudy, Kelderhouse Family Classic."
Noelle Kelderhouse, Lily's mom, drove the girls around town prior to the walk so they could ask businesses for raffle prize donations, monetary donations for Autism Speaks, and donations of snacks and such for the event.
The girls gathered frequently at the Kelderhouse home to plan the event. They decorated white T-shirts they could wear for the walk and crafted jewelry out of beads and other items that they could sell during the event.
It took the girls at least one month to put all of the details together, Noelle said.
Noelle and other parents also helped make the event a success by gathering supplies and making sure it ran smoothly.
The first year, the Kids for a Cure walk gathered 40 participants and raised $1,000, Noelle said.
This year, two more friends from the neighborhood joined Lily, Megan and Felicia to organize the autism walk: Kaitlyn Rolniak, 12, and Brianna Liefker, 12. Family and friends referred to the girls as the Fabulous 5.
This year's walk, held Aug. 16, gathered 60 participants and raised $1,985.
The Fabulous 5 included more activities this year, including face painting and games.
Lily sat at a computer at home and created fliers for the walk that were hung throughout Manteno.
Noelle's friend, Monica Mara of Palos Hills made special chocolates to sell during the walk; they were in the form of autism awareness ribbons and footprints.
"I wanted to help Lily because she is my friend," Brianna said. Brianna's neighbor, age 13, also has autism.
"Lily is my friend and I wanted to help her," Kaitlyn said. A friend of Kaitlyn's family also has autism.
"Rudy is young," Kaitlyn said. "Why does he have to have this (disorder) and not other kids? Organizing an event like this takes a lot of time, but it's worth it to find a cure for autism."
Rudy was diagnosed with autism when he was 2-and-a-half years old. He was diagnosed with one of the autism spectrum disorders called Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS). It is usually milder than autism and has similar symptoms to autism.
"He never slept, he didn't want to eat, he pulled at his hair often and he didn't bond with us," Noelle said, noting several of the signs Rudy exhibited of this condition. Lily's father's name is Kurt and she also has a little brother, Jack, 2.
Rudy was also diagnosed with benign rolandic epilepsy. Statistics show that nearly all children with BRE will outgrow it during puberty.
One year ago, Kurt and Noelle placed Rudy on a special gluten-free, casein-free diet for autism and PDD. Some parents, doctors and researchers say that children show mild to dramatic improvements in speech and/or behavior after these substances are removed from their diet, according to www.autismweb.com. Some parents also report that their children experience fewer bouts of diarrhea.
"Rudy's language is better now," Noelle said. "His temperament is better and he is sleeping better."
Statistics show that one out of every 150 children is diagnosed with autism, which means, every 20 minutes a family learns their child has this disorder.
"When Rudy was diagnosed with special needs, I didn't know it would be this hard," Lily said. "You watch the same movies over and over again. He gives me a headache sometimes when he throws a temper tantrum and screams."
Lily gave a short speech this year at the beginning of the Kids for a Cure walk.
"Sometimes it is hard when I feel like he (Rudy) gets more of my parent's attention," Lily said in her speech. "We really can't do things like we did before, like going to the mall, out to dinner, or carnivals because my brother gets over-stimulated easy. He doesn't do well with change, so he likes to wear the same clothes and watch the same part of movies over and over again."
While there are hard times, Lily said, there are also good times. Lily is protective of Rudy, Noelle said, and will stand up for Rudy and anyone who is picked on.
"I would like to tell you why I love him (Rudy) so much," Lily said at this year's walk. "He knows everything there is to know about machines. He's special because a lot of times when I come home he tells me 'I love and I miss you LaLa!' He also always tells the truth, which isn't always good for me! He has worked really hard to be where he is today. So today, I walk for RuRu."
Noelle said that people in the community still tell the girls that they are doing a great thing by hosting this walkathon.
"I am extremely proud and overwhelmed by these five little girls coming together, and the difference they have made," Noelle said. "They put so much work into these walks and have a great outcome from the community that supports them."
On Sept. 20 at the Manteno Oktoberfest parade, a float promoting autism awareness will be included. Families of children with autism are encouraged to walk with this float. The parade begins at 7 p.m. and lineup is at Manteno Middle School, 250 North Poplar. Contact Noelle for more information at 815-468-7331.
For information on next year's Kids for a Cure Autism Walk during August in Manteno, or to make a donation to Autism Speaks, contact Noelle at 815-468-7331. Her e-mail address is nkelderhouse@comcast.net.
For information on the Kilbride Family Classic 5k Run and Walk for Autism that is held each June in Kankakee, see www.runforautism.com.
The Kankakee Valley Chapter of the Autism Society of America also holds a parent support group meeting that is open to the public, from 7-9 p.m., every third Monday of the month at Riverside Medical Center in a conference room near the cafeteria. For information, call Julie Gindy at 815-933-3467 or e-mail her at juleze@comcast.net.
_
LATEST NEWS
SEARCH THE SITE
