KEN-TON: Special needs fair expands

Local News

November 20, 2009

By Daniel Pye<br><a href="mailto:pyed@gnnewspaper.com">E-mail Dan</a> The Tonawanda News Sat Nov 21, 2009, 12:00 AM EST

Ken-Ton Special Education PTSA is holding its annual Northtowns Family Agency Fair today at Kenmore West High School.

Aimee Levesque, president of the organization, said the event has grown to 75 agencies over the two years since its inception, and that more had to be turned away due to space constraints.

“We put our probes out in June, and we got 50 responses the first week out, which is exceptional,” she said.

This year’s event will feature keynote speaker Eustacia Cutler. Cutler is an Autism advocate, author and mother of Dr. Temple Grandin, who Levesque referred to as “perhaps the most famous autistic person in the world.” The event is free and open to all of Western New York.

“Some events like this come in between $100 and $300 for parents to come in for the day,” Levesque said.

But the speaking cost is free courtesy of donations from the Ken-Ton Model Transition Program and Tonawanda-Grand Island Model Transition program, which focus on helping those with special needs find employment and independence in society. Levesque said that’s a goal all parents of special needs children share.

“We all want to hope that our children can do great things and have the opportunities to do those great things,” she said.

While Cutler deals most intimately with Autism issues, Levesque said there is a considerable amount of overlap in the issues special needs parents face. The ranks of those identifying themselves as special needs parents is also growing.

When Levesque’s daughter was diagnosed with Autism, national estimates were that one in 500 or even one in 1,000 were affected. Now that estimate is one in 50, although it’s impossible to say whether more cases or increased medical knowledge and scrutiny are accountable for the shift. Either way, the agency fair gives parents the tools they need to help their children thrive in all aspects of life and the hope to make it possible.

“Our program runs the gamut from recreational to social and medical,” Levesque said.

Cutler will speak in two sessions, from 10:30 a.m. until 12 p.m. and again from 1:30 p.m. until 3 p.m., with a book signing in between. The entire fair runs from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.

Contact reporter Daniel Pye at 693-1000, ext. 158.

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