Posted 10/6/2023
The Children and Family Services Division was a proud sponsor of the Pittsburgh Autism Speaks Walk, held on September 30 at Acuisure Stadium, home of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Terrible Towel. The one mile walk around Acuisure Stadium and resource fair was attended by almost 4,000 people. Senior Manager of Autism Speaks in Western PA Rebecca Kirsch was grateful, " Merakey has been involved in the Pittsburgh Autism Walk for almost 25 years. Their sponsorship helps raise vital funds for resources, research, advocacy, and employment initiatives right here in Western Pennsylvania." Bridget Fulmer and Sara Demko, Children and Family Services administrative staff, helped set up the walk and took pictures with the Terrible Towel display. "It was a pleasure to assist in the setup for the Walk and be part of the collective effort from people in the autism community to provide a safe and fun environment for everyone attending," said Sara. Tim Palisin, a teacher at the Merakey Education Center in Greensburg PA was selected to help cheer on the crowd during the opening ceremony and of course posed with Pittsburgh's favorite Pierogies. "When approached a few weeks ago, asking if I would be interested in volunteering to represent Merakey at the Walk, there was no hesitation; I was thrilled, exclaimed Tim. There are so many people to thank for this opportunity. Not only did I meet so many of the walkers, volunteers, and people involved in this incredible event, but I was also truly blessed to witness how special this day truly is and always will be in the hearts of so many families. "
About four hours northeast of Pittsburgh, staff members from the Merakey Education Center in Scranton PA attended NEPA’s (Northeastern PA) Autism Awareness Walk in Luzerne County on October 1. WNEP News was at the event and captured an interview with Tiffany Saldi, a Speech Language Pathologist from Merakey Education Center Scranton.
