Light it Up Blue

On April 2, Gaithersburg Mayor Sidney Katz and the City Council will issue a proclamation declaring April as Autism Awareness Month in the city of Gaithersburg.

The proclamation will be presented to Melissa Porter, a local ambassador for the Autism Speaks “Light It Up Blue” awareness campaign. As part of the campaign, the City will also shine blue floodlights on City Hall.

A neural development disorder that is characterized by impaired communication and social behavior and by repetitive and restricted behaviors, autism may now be prevalent in one out of every 50 school age children according to a recent government survey.

In December, 2007, the United Nations declared April 2nd as World Autism Awareness Day. In the United States, the month of April is dedicated to spreading awareness, recognizing that early diagnosis is key to providing the necessary resources and supports to children and families.

To promote awareness, Autism Speaks launched the “Light It Up Blue” campaign, a global initiative to shine a bright light on autism as a growing public health crisis. Iconic landmarks including the Empire State Building in New York City and the CN Tower in Toronto, as well as airports, bridges, museums, concert halls, restaurants, and retail stores around the world have participated by lighting up bright blue.

For more information on Autism Speaks and the “Light It Up Blue” campaign, please visit www.autismspeaks.org or www.lightitupblue.org.

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