By Candy Webb
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Mayor Scott Foster proclaimed April 2 as Hendersonville Autism Awareness Day Tuesday night during the Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting in conjunction with World Autism Awareness Day which is also April 2.

Following the proclamation, an emotion filled mother of an autistic teen stepped to the podium to speak.

“I want to thank everyone for recognizing World Autism Day here in Hendersonville,” said Jamie Balog.

Balog, whose 15-year-old son autistic son, Christian, attends Hendersonville High School told the aldermen how grateful she is that Hendersonville has chosen a day in which Christian and kids like Christian can celebrate their differences. Noting that Christian sometimes gets negative attention at school and his siblings are sometimes teased about his condition, Balog believes that the mayor’s declaration will provide a day where people can become educated about autism which currently affects one in every 150 children in America.

Balog is also on the board of Beyond the Limits, a Hendersonville based non-profit organization that provides resources for families impacted by autism.

At Beyond the Limits parents of autistic children can receive information about biomedical protocols for autism spectrum disorders, parent to parent workshops that will include practical tools that can be used, advocacy seminars about IDEA and the IEP process, traditional therapies, and monetary grants to help defray the costs of biomedical and traditional interventions.

The organization recently opened an office on Industrial Blvd and holds a monthly support group meeting as well as providing grants to help families defray the cost of autism for individual families.

Money for the grants is raised through fundraising. The next big event planned is the Second Annual Beyond the Limit’s Walk slated for May 11 at Memorial Park.

“We know that the economy is tough right now,” said Balog. “But autism doesn’t wait, the needs of the families can’t wait, so we are going forth and we know we will succeed.”

The event will include vendor booths, food sales, balloons and other activities for participants.  One way to support the event is to gather sponsors and become a walker to raise funds for grants.

”It is so important to support autism awareness,” said Beyond the Limits founder, Nan Pazdro. “We talk to parents every day who are lost, tired and stressed as they try to navigate their way through the school system and medical needs for their child. We become a magnet for families who need us and we in turn are fulfilled knowing that we can provide that beacon of light for them.”

For Balog the need is very simple. Raising awareness so that children like Christian as well as their siblings can function without ridicule.

“It’s not easy being the sibling of someone with autism,” Balog said. “With awareness and the recognition of autism in Hendersonville now, Christian’s brother and sister can say to their friends,’ ‘you know how you make fun of my brother because he is different? Well today is a day for him and every child like him. I hope you will celebrate it with us.’”

Balog and Pazdro believe this year’s walk will be successful.

“It has to  be, we don’t have a choice but to make it work,” said Balog.

Beyond the Limits needs volunteers so that this event can be a success.  Call 615-870-7842 to volunteer or email  This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it  

For additional information about the walk or organization go to www.autismresourceconnection.com.