April is Autism Awareness Month and Dolly Pelny from Spruce Creek South is volunteering her time and efforts for the cause, as she has for the past four years.
Dressed in the National Autism color of blue and passing out handmade jigsaw pins and literature in Spanish Springs Town Square Tuesday evening, Pelny does it all for her grandson, Michael. He was diagnosed with autism when he was 3 years old. Michael is now 20 and is popular on the square during visits with his proud Grandma. He loves computers, animals and Dunkin Donuts, she said.
Michael lives in Tampa and attends special needs classes in Plant City.
“After he turns 22, Florida law will not allow him to continue to take anymore special needs classes,” she said. “He will have no where to go to continue the classes he loves and that help him.”
As many as one in 68 children are diagnosed with ASD and it is the fastest growing developmental disability, she added.
