The first annual AutHaven took place this past February at a nudist resort in the mountains of Colorado. I had actually been hoping to attend Autreat in PA, but the fees an the transportation costs made it costs prohibitive. I ha spoken to others who have always dreamed of attending who were unable to because of costs as well.
So, we decided to put together a retreat for Autistics that was affordable for all. Initial cost projection came to over $150 per person. With some adjustments, we were able to bring the total cost down to $100 per person, and also to give scholarships to nearly half who attended. We were able to do this by finding donors, convincing a few churches to help with a little of the food, and sharing rooms with 2 to 3 people per room [some had to sleep on air mattresses] Since catering was not in our budget, I spent the month before baknig and freezing all sorts of yummy foods, plus we asked all participants to please donate an hour a day of their time helping out.
One thing I had noticed on WP was that there are so many members who seem truly unhappy. They seemed to have never felt special or truly loved their entire lives. Along with presentations, workshops, entertainment, outstanding food, and great activities, making attendees feel cherished became a priority.
For one, I decided to make the first nights dinner a feast of thanks. About every Thanksgiving and Christmas dishes imaginable was served. Everyone received a "goody bag" that was hand designed and filled with the individuals preferences in mind [okay, I realyl spent far too much of my own personal money on the goody bags, but it was so fun]
Well, it is now time for me to magically turn a burnt formica cabinet into a masterpiece of faux granite, but I will be back to write about AutHaven soon.
So, we decided to put together a retreat for Autistics that was affordable for all. Initial cost projection came to over $150 per person. With some adjustments, we were able to bring the total cost down to $100 per person, and also to give scholarships to nearly half who attended. We were able to do this by finding donors, convincing a few churches to help with a little of the food, and sharing rooms with 2 to 3 people per room [some had to sleep on air mattresses] Since catering was not in our budget, I spent the month before baknig and freezing all sorts of yummy foods, plus we asked all participants to please donate an hour a day of their time helping out.
One thing I had noticed on WP was that there are so many members who seem truly unhappy. They seemed to have never felt special or truly loved their entire lives. Along with presentations, workshops, entertainment, outstanding food, and great activities, making attendees feel cherished became a priority.
For one, I decided to make the first nights dinner a feast of thanks. About every Thanksgiving and Christmas dishes imaginable was served. Everyone received a "goody bag" that was hand designed and filled with the individuals preferences in mind [okay, I realyl spent far too much of my own personal money on the goody bags, but it was so fun]
Well, it is now time for me to magically turn a burnt formica cabinet into a masterpiece of faux granite, but I will be back to write about AutHaven soon.
