Mets Host Autism Awareness Day

In perhaps an effort to make up for the number of blown save opportunities that have victimized the Mets this season, the club from Flushing is teaming up with heavyweights from the fields of politics and the media to sponsor an event that could save lives.
Scheduled for Sunday, April 27, Autism Awareness Day at Shea is being spearheaded by Assemblyman Mark Weprin and WPIX "News at Ten" anchor Jim Watkins in an effort to spotlight a disorder that afflicts more than 400,000 people in the US and has no identifiable origin or cure.
"What the Mets organization is doing is great," said Weprin, who came up with the idea for the event and is serving as its chair. "It gives children the chance to experience the Mets magic, being at Shea, and the other thing it does is raise awareness about this disease because so many people dont know about it. Maybe someone in the audience will donate some money and that will put us over the top to find a cure for this disease."
The programs organizers held a press conference on Friday in the old Jets locker room at Shea to promote what is being billed as the first autism awareness day of its kind at a professional stadium. More than 2,500 kids with the disease are expected to attend the game against Arizona on behalf of a dozen autism agencies in New York to celebrate April as National Autism Month.
Volunteers from those agencies will be staffing information tables on each of the stadium levels and will be answering questions related to autism and providing information on services and educational programs available to treat a disease that has become increasingly prevalent among children in the last decade, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The proceedings struck a chord with Jim Watkins, whose five-year-old son, Liam, is stricken with the disease and was on hand to receive a jersey from Mets pitcher, Tom Glavine. Glavine stressed the importance of using the event as an educational tool to teach people about the disease.
"Im like a lot of people who have a basic understanding of autism," Glavine said. "Being the father of four healthy kids, it makes me appreciate that and to understand the blessing I have. Im proud to help out. We need to continue to raise awareness."
Watkins pointed out during the press conference the frightening possibility that some families may not know if their child has autism because parents may not know how to identify its symptoms. Attending the game against Arizona will not only provide families with an opportunity to educate themselves, but it will give them the chance to learn coping techniques and treatments for the disease, he said.
"On April 27, there will be a lot of families out there wondering why their child is two and isnt making eye contact and not talking to anyone," Watkins said. "I guarantee you somebody watching or someone there during April 27th will say, Maybe I need to get my child tested. The best hope for these kids is to get them started early and to make them aware of the situation. This day will help a lot of families."
After the game, children will have the opportunity to come down to the field and run around the bases in the "Diamond Dash" as well as compete in other fun activities. For further information about the event, visit the website: www.AutismAwareness.qsac.com .