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Autism Expo returns to Nanaimo after COVID-19 hiatus

Expo offering supports to families of those on the Autism spectrum at Beban social centre Oct. 16
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The Autism Expo returns to Beban Social Centre Sunday, Oct. 16, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., courtesy Autism Society Central Vancouver Island. (Karl Yu/News Bulletin)

An event offering support to those with family members on the Autism spectrum will return to Nanaimo after two years.

The Autism Expo takes place at the social centre at Beban Park on Sunday, Oct. 16, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., courtesy Autism Society Central Vancouver Island, and organizers and service providers are excited about returning, said Marilyn Sullivan, society director.

Admission is free and there will be games and activities, food and an opportunity for people to connect with service providers, she said.

“This event is put together so that parents, grandparents, siblings, can connect with organizations and businesses that offer autism intervention services … It doesn’t matter whether it’s a child that’s two or three years old, or whether it’s someone in their 40s or 50s,” said Sullivan. “We have 25 exhibitors so far, so the reception, as far as the service providers, has been huge. So it all depends on what their needs are.”

She said there will be activities for people of all ages.

“We have face-painting and cookie decorating and we have a complimentary lunch and we have door prizes and music … we also have a room for teens and young adults where they’ll have games and puzzles, and they also will be able to do some cookie decorating and we have adults that are there to supervise that.”

Sullivan said the event will give older people the chance to be with their peers and “do something for fun as well.” There are many misconceptions about those on the spectrum, she said.

“There is not one person with autism that is the same [as] someone else and so it all depends on whether they’re high functioning, whether they have Asperger’s, whether they have tendencies that would be physical,” she said.

For more information, go to www.autismsocietycvi.ca.



reporter@nanaimobulletin.com

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Karl Yu

About the Author: Karl Yu

After interning at Vancouver Metro free daily newspaper, I joined Black Press in 2010.
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