Summer - Autism Ontario

Welcome to our StaffMarilen Miguel joined the staff of Autism Ontario inApril 2006 as Community Relations. She is the maincontact person for the ABACUS website, a registryof ABA providers in Ontario. She will also be assistingin various projects initiated by Autism Ontario.Marilen has been working in the non-profit sectorfor nine years providing support in the areas ofadministration, fundraising and communications,community outreach, and in the provision ofinformation and service referrals. Marilen mostrecently came from respiteservices.com, a supportmechanism for the developmental services sector inToronto and under the auspices of Geneva Centrefor Autism.Fishing Funby Laurie Pearce, Metro TorontoChapter PresidentThe Autism Newslink Summer 2006On a perfect summer morning in one of Toronto’s gems, High Park, familiesof children with ASD met for our first family fishing event. This was partof the province-wide Family Fishing Weekend. The pre-event, just for ourfamily members, was organized by Mathew Rossi, an avid fisher-person as well asthe web developer of Autism Ontario’s new website.For many families, this was a first-time attempt at fishing. The children, boththose with ASD and their siblings, were given their own rods and their choice of liveor imitation (colourful, but still a little slimy) worms. Volunteers from the Ministryand several nature-oriented Toronto groups helped assemble the rods, distributeworms, and offer help and trouble-shooting.The families had a marvelous time, spread out along the picturesque GrenadierPond (with the hum of Indy cars in the background on that particular weekend). Itwas most impressive to see how much care and attention some of the children tookwith the task – one youngster, when approached to see how things were going, sternlysaid “I can’t talk to you now—I’m fishing!” Several fish were caught, some by ourfamilies, some by other members of the public, and everyone got a chance to gatheraround and admire the fish before they were returned to the pond. A fish tank wasset up nearby to hold some of the caught fish for additional fishy encounters.The children went home with their rods, along with other fishing-related goodies,and more than a few undoubtedly woke up the next day wanting to fish again.Special thanks for this event are due to Mathew Rossi, Shawn Verge of the Ministryof Natural Resources, Ontario Out of Doors magazine (www.fishontario.com) whoprovided the free goodies and sponsored the event, and Walter Oster, Chairman,Canadian National Sportsman’s Shows, who donated the fishing tackle.t Matthew Hrybinsky tentatively examines a fish that didn’t get away.