Midale鈥檚 Katie Emde says she isn鈥檛 a natural when it comes to fundraising.
That might be surprising to some, because it seems she is really good at it.
Emde has been fundraising for the Inside Out for Autism campaign. This is the inaugural year for the initiative, which is running across country, and as of April 21, Emde was second in the country for funds raised with more than $1,500.
At one point, she was tops in Canada.
Her efforts have been inspired by her six-year-old son, Avery, who has been diagnosed with severe autism.
The fundraising started with Emde and her husband Landon. They wanted to raise some money and awareness.
鈥淲e had registered online for Inside Out for Autism, and just from there, it started to escalate,鈥� said Emde. 鈥淲e had businesses, not just from Estevan but from Weyburn, come to ask and say 鈥楬ow can we help you?鈥� 鈥榃hat can we do to get where you need to be in this fundraiser, and raise some funds for kids that are on the spectrum?鈥欌��
The Inside Out name for the campaign stems from children with autism who prefer to wear their clothes inside out, because they don鈥檛 like the feeling of a label against their skin.
Students at St. Mary鈥檚 School wore their clothes inside out on April 3 to support Avery and other kids with autism.
鈥淚t represents that different is okay,鈥� said Emde.
Emde and her husband appeared on CTV Regina鈥檚 morning show in early April to promote their efforts. That same day, they visited the Saskatchewan Legislative Building to speak with Danielle Chartier, the health critic for the opposition New Democratic Party, about funding and some of the challenges facing the Emdes and other families who have a child with autism.
The couple can鈥檛 believe how much support they have received this month, she said.
鈥淲e鈥檙e blown away with all of the support we鈥檝e received, all of the phone calls, and all of the people we鈥檝e met through this whole journey of being in this Inside Out for Autism fundraiser,鈥� said Emde. 鈥淭here have been some really great families we鈥檝e met.鈥�
The fundraising efforts for the month will conclude with a supper at Fired Up Grill in Estevan on April 30, starting at 5 p.m. For $25, supporters will enjoy a supper with steak or chicken as the main course. Ticket sales are going very well, she said.
They can sell up to 300 tickets for that night. Only 30 tickets will be available at the door.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be a really great night,鈥� said Emde. 鈥淲e鈥檙e really quite excited about it.鈥�
There will be a 50-50 draw and a silent auction.
Tickets can be purchased by calling 306-458-7474.
Emde noted Fired Up Grill has already held a fundraising contest for Avery in which people guessed how many jellybeans were in a jar.
She stressed that Avery is the only child in Midale on the autism spectrum, so in the past she has felt like she鈥檚 alone. But the support she has received this month and the encouragement she has received from others in the past have shown her there are so many families going through similar experiences.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just so important to really educate everyone that these kids need help, they need support, they need to be accepted into their communities and into their schools, and all these parents want is for their kids to be accepted,鈥� said Emde.
The money that is raised through Inside Out for Autism will be directed towards Saskatchewan Families for Effective Autism Treatment (SaskFEAT). Eighty per cent of the funds raised in Saskatchewan will stay in the province, and Emde noted money will be used to send five children to camp this summer.
鈥淚t will be used for families that need funding,鈥� said Emde. 鈥淚f that means funding for an iPad for communication skills for kids, there鈥檚 a long list of SaskFEAT does to help families and everything else. They鈥檙e supporting and they鈥檙e advocating, and they鈥檙e just believing in all of the individuals on the autism spectrum and their families.鈥�
SaskFEAT also lets families know where they need to be to get their kids in the right programs.
Avery was diagnosed with autism about 1 1/2 years ago. It鈥檚 not a diagnosis that鈥檚 easy to prepare for, but Emde pointed out that other families have been facing autism for a longer period of time.
鈥淭here are some families we know that have been doing this for years,鈥� said Emde. 鈥淭hey have not one kid, but two children in their families that are somewhere on the autism spectrum.鈥�
So it鈥檚 important to advocate for parents of children with autism, she said, and to raise awareness and acceptance.
In Avery鈥檚 case, he has trouble with loud noises, and fluorescent lights are difficult on his eyes. And he has other issues that can make day-to-day life difficult.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a lot, but we have found that if you have the right supports in place, and early diagnosis for these kids, and get the help you need and all the therapies you need, it鈥檚 a lot easier,鈥� said Emde.
Speech pathologists, occupational therapists and psychologists and workers help as well.
Emde said they won鈥檛 get a prize if they finish first in Canada for funds raised through Inside Out for Autism. Rather, she and her husband just want to raise awareness and acceptance for kids who on the autism spectrum.
To support the Emde family鈥檚 fundraising efforts, visit www.autismcanada.org.
