RISE for Autism hosts an inclusive Halloween event for people of all ages Glen Burnie East

When people with special needs want to do the same things as everyone else, sometimes those things must change. RISE for Autism held its annual Trunk or Treat on Saturday for people of all ages with disabilities - its first Trunk or Treat at the nonprofit's Glen Burnie location.

"The purpose of our annual Trunk or Treat is to provide a safer and more inclusive celebration than traditional Halloween festivities," founder Cheryl Antlitz said. "It also gives parents a chance to let their hair down, because they need a break from walking on eggshells or praying."

When nonprofits are provided funding focused on autism, Antlitz said programming can be limited to certain participants, but RISE for Autism wanted to include folks with all sorts of disabilities.

Antlitz said staff and volunteers were excited to have their own facilities, which are handicapped accessible - especially the bathrooms. The team was able to turn most of the therapy rooms into activity areas for things like crafts, as well as a sensory area for kids who needed to relax and take a break.

Although last year's event was rained out, previous events were held at a church, which was wheelchair accessible but lacked accessible restrooms. Antlitz said the new location allows for more folks to be included. Using the nonprofit's current space meant the team did not have to transport all its supplies. It allowed for a more controlled environment with the added bonus of additional set-up time.

"It's an opportunity for these kids to come out and have fun," Antlitz explained. "They struggle from being excluded from activities like typical trunk-or-treats for various reasons, whether it's communication, physical disabilities, sensory issues or behavioral challenges."

The typical sights and sounds of a Halloween event simply aren't tolerated by those with a low sensory threshold, which demands subtle lighting and low or no sounds. Decorations lean heavily toward the friendly rather than the scary, such as gently glowing inflatables.

Antlitz said everything was knocked down a notch to cater to all levels of disabilities. The team used a staggered entrance time, with sessions at 4, 5 and 6 p.m., which means usually only one family visited each of the 25 trunks at a time. If a participant had an issue, families could take a break and return for a later session.

About 140 special-needs participants attended and siblings were encouraged to attend. Without a mob of kids pushing and rushing, participants were able to move about at their own pace without being overwhelmed. Lighting gradually transitioned into the evening hours, and if light was an issue for a participant, they could sign up for an earlier session.

Baugher's Orchards and Farms donated 3,000 pounds of pumpkins, allowing everyone to have a pumpkin.

"The farm is about an hour away, but now knowing all the positive things people say about their farm helps them, because people can see they give back," Antlitz said.

RISE received a donation of adaptive costumes, which means those with wheelchairs didn't have to skip dress-up. The event space allowed for wheelchair-bound participants to roll inside and do crafts just like everyone else.

Since food allergies are very common, treats are largely non-food items and conform to the Teal Pumpkin Project. The treats offer an opportunity to distribute useful, fun items like fidgets, Halloween squishies or tactile toys used to calm and improve focus. Non-food treats ensure participants receive a treat from each of the trunk hosts.

"It's more in line with what they'll actually benefit from," Antlitz said. "There are no expectations - zero. If they want to dress up, great. If they don't, that's great, too. And if there's someone skipping and singing Cookie Monster at 17 years old, great. They don't have those looks, everyone's just excited and happy and having a good time."

Parents are able to relax because of the safe environment. Antlitz said if a issue arises at one of RISE's events, folks are more inclined to jump in and lend a hand than stop and stare.

Antlitz said one of the greatest benefits of the event is the opportunity for participants to practice their skills. Beforehand, participants work on life skills such as requesting and saying "Thank you." During the event, they were able to put their skills into action.

For its regular services, Antlitz said RISE focuses on the 10 to 19 age range. For its events, all ages are welcome.

At Christmas, RISE holds a Breakfast with Santa, which is hosted by Applebee's restaurant. The restaurant is closed to the public and participants are served a pancake breakfast. Santa is sensory-friendly and brings a trained helper so participants can have fun in a way that meets some of their needs.

"Part of our mission is that we do resources, interventions, supports and education, and part of the education ... and the resources piece is to educate public by having volunteers and giving opportunities to families," Antlitz said. "It's part of our mission to do four sensory events each year, and we tried to put them into areas where we could hit the full age range."

Just as Baugher's and Applebee's now know about RISE for Autism, Antlitz said it's important to continue with awareness and community involvement.

"You know, these kids (we serve) are getting older and eventually they're going to move out of the neighborhoods. The more that participate - like Applebee's - gives education to them and offers a lot of resources and information to them, too. It offers a lot more than just the event and really gets the community involved."

Caption: Bradley Zaukus collected treats from 25 vehicles during RISE for Autism's annual Trunk orTreat, which was open to people of all ages with disabilities.

Scott Antlitz and Dylan Ambrose had fun at RISE for Autism's annual event.

Kathleen, Christopher and Brett Lundeen enjoyed collecting treats at the event.

Courtesy Photos