Fort Lee Community Center Lights it Up Blue for Autism

April is Autism Awareness month, and iconic landmarks, such as the George Washington Bridge, “went blue” in support, as part of the Light It Up Blue initiative organized by Autism Speaks.

Locally, the Fort Lee Community Center is being lit up blue each night throughout April in recognition of Autism Awareness Month, thanks to Fort Lee Councilman Harvey Sohmer, who recommended the borough do something to acknowledge those who struggle with autism spectrum disorders.

Sohmer told Patch, “Everyone in this world is touched by someone who has autism and I thought it would be something nice for the town to do.”

Sohmer said he was inspired by a close friend whose grandson is autistic and a student of the Alpine Learning Group.

“She had mentioned something to me about it, and I thought it would behoove the town if we would do something,” Sohmer said. “I know we always did colored lights; we did pink for breast cancer awareness, [for example]. And I said this would be just absolutely terrific if we could do it for autism.”

In 2012, Sohmer worked with borough administrator Peggy Thomas and technician Sam Ghali at the community center to make the idea come to light after “running it past [Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich],” he said.

This is the second year that the borough is bringing awareness to autism by lighting the community center.

A study by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) found that one in 49 children in New Jersey are diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder by the time they are eight years old.

The CDC estimates that autism affects one out of every 88 children in the U.S., and that boys are five times more likely to be diagnosed than girls. In New Jersey, one out every 29 boys and one in 172 girls are diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, according to the CDC.

In Fort Lee, autism is a pervasive disease that has hit the families throughout the town, including the families of the police department, fire department and all levels of the borough.

"There are people I work with who have children with autism," one borough employee who has a child with autism said. "It's a relief to me to know that when I come to work, people understand what my life is all about."

Share your stories of autism in the comments section.

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