Southwick Town Hall and the Southwick Police Department are bathed in blue in recognition of World Autism Awareness Day. (© 2015 by Frederick Gore)
WESTFIELD – A group of families gathered yesterday at Mama Cakes to recognize World Autism Awareness Day and Autism Speaks’ Light It Up Blue campaign, enjoying blue frosted cupcakes, and donating to team Jesse James and the Outlaw Walkers.
Team Captain Becca Matthew was there with friends and said the support she received was “overwhelming.”
“I must have cried 40 times today,” said the mom of two.
Matthew’s son Jesse, age four, has autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and is the inspiration behind Mama Cakes’ “Jesse’s Girl” cupcake. Bakery owner Kim McNutt reached out to Matthew and offered to create a fundraising cupcake for her team, which raises money for the Western New England Walk Now For Autism Speaks, set for Sept. 26 at Stanley Park.
Wyatt Steglinski enjoys a blue frosted cupcake for Autism Awareness Day yesterday at Mama Cakes. (Photo by Hope E. Tremblay)
“Last year, Mama Cakes donated cupcakes to our princess tea party fundraiser and said they would do it again this year,” Matthew said. “Then Kim said she’d like to do a special cupcake for us.”
For every Jesse’s Girl cupcake sold in April – Autism Awareness Month – Team Jesse James will receive $1. The cupcakes come in vanilla or chocolate with blue frosting and an edible blue puzzle piece on top.
Walk Committee Co-Chair Monica Donnelly of West Springfield joined the delicious fun yesterday at Mama Cakes and said she, too, was overwhelmed by all the support and people wearing blue for autism awareness.
“I went to town hall in West Springfield today for a proclamation and not only were all the staff wearing blue, they gathered for a photo to show their support,” said Donnelly.
Last year, the walk committee made awareness and advocacy a priority, something Donnelly said she could really see yesterday by all the people wearing blue and posting to social media.
Westfield Girl Scout Troop 41059 display puzzle piece pins they made to recognize World Autism Awareness Day April 2. (Photo by Sarah Timmerman)
“People are really as excited about Light It Up Blue as we are – and they’re getting creative, too!” she said. “I feel like all our hard work last year is really paying off, but there’s more work to do.”
Also a mother of two with a son with ASD, Donnelly said she was thrilled to visit Mama Cakes for the first time and planned to become a frequent customer.
“There are seven families here with kids on the spectrum, everyone is having fun and running around, and the staff isn’t blinking an eye,” she said. “It really feels like a celebration.”
Southwick Town Hall employees participated in a Dress Down & Blue fundraiser for World Autism Awareness Day April 2. (Photo by Hope E. Tremblay)
At Southwick Town Hall, municipal employees participated in a Dress Down & Blue fundraiser for team Ryan’s Rally For Autism and it wasn’t just the employees who participated.
Council On Aging Director Cindy Sullivan surprised the team by encouraging seniors to wear blue and donate to the team.
Joining Southwick employees in dressing down and blue for Ryan’s Rally were Westfield Public Schools and City Hall employees.
Teams are forming and raising funds now for the Sept. 26 walk. Visit www.walknowforautismspeaks.org/wne to register a team, join a team, or make a donation today.
