BELLEVILLE – The Illinois Center for Autism (ICA) will host their annual Pedal for Autism fundraiser and Family Fun Fest.
From 7–9 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024, bicyclists can ride two routes to raise money for ICA’s programs. Starting at 10 a.m., the Center will host a free festival for families and kids to enjoy. Both events will take place at the Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC) campus.
“Right before school really gets rolling, we thought it’d be a good way to kind of bring the summer to a close,” explained Rachel Newsome, ICA’s Communications Officer. “Although our Pedal for Autism event has been around for many years, we decided it was time to expand our event and we wanted to focus on the family. This event has something for everyone.”
ICA has hosted the Pedal for Autism fundraiser for the past 15 years. Bicyclists pay $25 or $70 for a family of four, then choose one of two routes to ride on the morning of Aug. 17.
Then, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., families can check out the Family Fun Fest at SWIC. The free festival will offer bounce houses, games, face painting, a foam cannon and more. Food trucks and vendors will be present, as will fire trucks and ambulances for kids to explore. Newsome is especially excited for the sensory splash play tent, a quieter sensory-friendly area for children on the autism spectrum.
All money raised through the Pedal for Autism fundraiser will go back to ICA. Based out of Fairview Heights, the organization serves 12 counties in Illinois.
“We serve children and adults with autism spectrum disorder, and we’ve been doing it for over 47 years,” Newsome said. “Anywhere from 1,500 to 1,800 families a year we’re touching in one way or another.”
The organization sponsors a day school for students ages 3–22. They have an adult services program that teaches life and job skills. Their vocational program provides in-house job training and more assistance. ICA also offers client/family support, which focuses on advocacy, education and support for individuals on the spectrum and their families.
Newsome clarified that ICA does not diagnose people with autism spectrum disorder, but they can help connect people with resources and services after a diagnosis has been made.
“Seriously, there’s not a single day, especially during the school year, that goes by where we don’t have someone calling wanting to know how they get involved, what do they need to do, their child’s been recently diagnosed, whatever the case may be,” she said.
Newsome thanked the Pedal for Autism sponsors, including Walmart, Cardinal Buick and Beloman. She noted that ICA receives a lot of support from the community, and they’re eager to return that support to families and individuals on the autism spectrum.
“The community has been, for so many years, very good to us,” she added. “It’s pretty awesome, what the community does for us.”
For more information about Pedal for Autism and the Family Fun Fest, including how to register as a bicyclist, visit the official Facebook event page or call Newsome at 618-792-3321. To learn more about the Illinois Center for Autism, visit their official website at IllinoisCenterForAutism.org.
