The local businesses of the Vancouver region; including the Lower Mainland, North and West Vancouver, Maple Ridge and the Sunshine Coast served the local, provincial, national and international Autistic Community at the 2nd annual International Naturally Autistic People Awards and Convention.
A vision the organizers sought for the past two years at their local headquarters on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia.
The following is an impressive list of the business sponsors: Coast Capital Savings, West Vancouver Branch, The Millenium Group, The Pinnacle Hotel at the Pier, Kay Meek Theatre, Save-On-Foods, The Great Canadian Store, The Market at Molly’s Lane Vendors (six businesses), The Copy Shop, Artworks, Hardbite Potato Chips, Triple Tree Nurseries, Maple Ridge Florists, Vantage Stables, Amsterdam Nursery, North Shore News, Mellon Glass Studios, CBI Consultants, Howe Sound Rehabilitation Services Society, Amber Alert GPS, Vancouver-Canada, and Vantage Stables.
Local individuals were also among the sponsors and the selection committee such as Sandy Wrightman, April and Russ Querishi, Graham Walker, Linda Williams, Axel Loitz, Lauire Geschke, Joe Averae, Jann Arden, The Knotty Dotters, the Raincoast Riders, Janet Panic, Stephen Nikleva and Anthony Gregory.
The 2011Awards & Convention was further supported by the Ministry for Children and Family Development who partnered by making autism funds available to families to attend the event. MCFD also provided circulation about the event to the 8,000 families living with autism in British Columbia.
As the event got underway and the selection committee results came in, Canada, specifically Vancouver and Maple Ridge in the Lower Mainland were direct recipients in so far as two young [autistic] women won the Community Achievement Award and the Literary Arts Award who live in those communities. The local media demonstrated pride and an understanding in the benefit of having this event and spread the word to their local residents. The newspapers that got involved in supporting these young people and the event are as follows: The North Shore News, Maple Ridge Times, The Bugel, Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows News, The Coast Reporter and The Local.
Local volunteers of parents, siblings and associates were amazing! Lori Stoughton, Lauire Geschke and family, Geoffrey Groenink, Gert Klunder and the three fabulous Coast Capital Savings staff Louise Eng, Thor Helgason and Rachel Dick who manned the tables during the Opening Awards Evening and the Convention Day. Learn more about htis event in our magazine.
Visit http://www.naturallyautistic.com to learn how you can be sponsor or volunteer for 2012!
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