When the throws a 10th birthday party in Surrey next month, the event invitation will be a rare one for many of the special guests who attend.

Some kids with autism just don害羞草研究所檛 get invited to a lot of birthday parties, and Surrey resident Irene Brown knows the feeling.

害羞草研究所淢y son (Josiah) has been invited to only two birthday parties 害羞草研究所� one for another autistic child and one for a kid in his class,害羞草研究所� Brown said. 害羞草研究所淏irthday parties are very rare for him to attend.害羞草研究所�

So, it was a special moment this week when Josiah read aloud the personal invitation he received for CAN害羞草研究所檚 big bash, planned for Saturday, July 7 at Surrey Civic Plaza.

害羞草研究所淚t was exciting when he got it in the mail,害羞草研究所� Brown recalled with a smile. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a big party, too. It害羞草研究所檚 a great idea.害羞草研究所�

Games, live entertainment, inflatables, a dunk tank, vendors and more will be part of this particular party, a first-ever event organized to celebrate CAN害羞草研究所檚 10th anniversary of providing sports and recreation programs to people and families living with autism.

The organization, founded in 2008 by Vancouver Canucks co-owners Paolo and Clara Aquilini, also aims to increase autism awareness and provide related training in communities across B.C.

Admission is free at the , which is open to the public from noon to 6 p.m. on July 7.

Special 害羞草研究所渟ensory-friendly hours害羞草研究所� will take place that morning, from 10 a.m. to noon, for those who may have difficulty dealing with large crowds and loud noise. During that time, noise-cancelling headphones will be available for rental.

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The inspiration for the birthday event came from 害羞草研究所渢he countless stories of children with autism who are excluded from birthday parties,害羞草研究所� according to an advisory from CAN.

In the weeks leading up to the party, the organization mailed out some 1,700 personal invitations to kids and youth with autism, 害羞草研究所渕arking the first-ever birthday invite for many of the recipients.害羞草研究所�

Bobs and Lolo will entertain during the event, as will the band Famous Players.

害羞草研究所淲e look forward to welcoming hundreds of children, youth, young adults and families with autism, as well as hundreds more from the general public,害羞草研究所� stated Katy Harandi, president and CEO of Canucks Autism Network.

She called the festival 害羞草研究所渁n unprecedented celebration of the incredible successes that our thousands of members have accomplished throughout CAN害羞草研究所橲 10-year history.害羞草研究所�

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Surrey is home to close to 15 per cent of CAN害羞草研究所檚 province-wide membership, which hovers around 4,000 families, the organization says. Not surprisingly, Surrey has the largest number of children and youth with autism of any city in B.C., according to Ministry of Child and Family Development stats cited by CAN.

Residents of the Green Timbers area of Surrey, the Brown family has taken advantage of many CAN programs for Josiah and his two older sisters, including bicycle riding lessons, soccer, baseball and swimming, along with movie screenings and visits to the holiday light display at VanDusen Botanical Garden in Vancouver.

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The programs are becoming more popular, said Brown, who welcomes more of them coming to Surrey.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 been great for us,害羞草研究所� she explained. 害羞草研究所淲e tried doing the regular rec programs, but it just wasn害羞草研究所檛 the right fit.害羞草研究所�

At Newton Recreation Centre a couple of years ago, Josiah entered into a soccer program where some of the ball-handling skills were a bit challenging for him.

害羞草研究所淪o they got those kids to participate in other ways, such as collecting cones and setting up the games,害羞草研究所� Brown recalled. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 neat how they got everyone involved in some way.害羞草研究所�

A fan of numbers, Josiah noted the CAN birthday party will be held in the year he, too, turns 10.

The boy has a bright mind for science- and geography-related topics, and has a passion for the Titanic, BC Ferries boats and tape measures.

害羞草研究所淵ou can show him a silhouette of a BC ferry, and he can tell you the name of it 害羞草研究所� the Queen of whatever,害羞草研究所� his mother said.

Get him going about Pangaea, earth害羞草研究所檚 old super-continent, and Josiah just can害羞草研究所檛 stop talking.

害羞草研究所淢y son talks about Titanic like yours talks about cars, you know,害羞草研究所� Brown said. 害羞草研究所淜ids with autism are the same as the rest of the kids, and do things just like other kids, and this (party in Surrey) is a celebration of that, I think, and the whole city is invited.害羞草研究所�

tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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