April is Autism Awareness Month. For a couple years I had an idea in my head to invite different bands that I knew to all come together and play music in the same place to each play a set and do it as a fundraiser. So for my birthday, I rented the local Italian American club, had food donated, and invited musician friends to come play music. In between sets I taught line dances. As I was reviewing country line dances on YouTube I found a couple new ones on line, like "The Wobble". My kids told me it's the hottest new line dance (Think "The Electric Slide" and "The Macarena") that they do at weddings and Sweet 16 parties. So of course I had to learn it and teach it. It was so much fun!
Are you ready to party?! Here's the video!
The theme was "Light It Up Blue" which is the big campaign by Autism Speaks. We used blue lights, blue candles and of course had blue drinks! We had a blue Hawaiian drink at the bar, blue cupcakes and blue cake pops. It was just an all around great day. Robbie came and ate and danced. If you follow my vlogs you'll know how much he loves music. When we played "Wagon Wheel" by Darius Rucker I guess he recognized the song and went out onto the dance floor all on his own and started to dance. It was so cute! I wish I had video but I don't. I only have a couple photos someone took with their phone.
In lieu of gifts I asked people to donate to the Hope Autism Foundation to help fund a new day program. We raised over $3,500. It was so much fun I think I'll do it every April. This first one was a trial run. But next time I'll get more elaborate and charge admission at the door, and do basket raffles etc. to raise more money.
.If you're wondering
"Who the heck is this person who does these vlogs?" LOL
Here's the video I showed at the party, the story of my life.
In all of Robbie's 24 years I never gave him a birthday party, except for ones at home with family. I explain why in this video. Today, I went to his day program to give him a party. Unlike school and his old day program, this place understands people with Autism and how they have a lot of trouble with being off from their daily routine. So they understand how important it is to NOT close for a week for the holidays! So happily Robbie got to go spend the day at his program on his birthday, two days after Christmas. He was such a happy guy that day!
After pizza and cake they all went swimming, which they do every Friday. Robbie loves the water. I think he would live in the water if he could! He frolicked and splashed to his heart's delight.
His new recliner was delivered that afternoon. At first they wanted to deliver it in the morning, but I told them I specifically requested delivery in the afternoon because no one would be at the house in the morning. I didn't want to say no "staff" would be there, because after the experience at Macy's, I didn't want there to be a problem. At first they were going to change the delivery to next week, but after I told them it was a present for Robbie's birthday, she put me on hold, came back on the phone, and said the chair would be delivered that afternoon. Woo hoo!
He's not smiling in this picture, but watch the video and you'll see how happy he was with his new recliner! For dinner, his old roommate came to visit along with his old aide from the group home he used to live at.
They both miss Robbie. I was nervous for him to see them, because it might confuse him, and he may think he is supposed to go home with them. But he was fine, and happy to come home to his new chair. Whew!
Here's the video of the day. :-)
If you missed the story about the recliner, here is Episode 4.
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