Dear AUSOM Friends,

Out of an abundance of caution and after consulting with local officials, the Autism Society of Maryland (HCAS) has decided to cancel this Sunday’s (March 15, 2020) Fitness First Event at Lifetime Fitness in Columbia, MD.  Please be assured, we do not make this decision lightly and know the value our events and activities have for the AUSOM community.

AUSOM made the decision to cancel the event to help protect our members, attendees, staff, and volunteers during the COVID-19 outbreak. In the current environment, it’s important for all of us to travel smarter and more consciously, as we work together as a community to decrease the transmission and lower the impact of COVID-19.  If you registered other people for the Fitness First event and did not provide contact information for them, we would very much appreciate it if you would contact them directly and inform them of the event’s cancellation. We will do everything possible to let people know by email, Facebook and the AUSOM website that the event has been cancelled.

We are sorry that we will not be able to offer you this opportunity to visit with one another and enjoy the Lifetime facilities. We hope that you stay well during this difficult and stressful time and we look forward to seeing you at one of our events later in the year.

In the meantime, we know the constant barrage of news and headlines about COVID-19 can be stressful.  Everyone is working to manage stress and anxiety while remaining informed.  Below are some tips that may help.

Disaster Preparedness Tips for Families with Autism:

https://www.autism-society.org/living-with-autism/how-the-autism-society-can-help/safe-and-sound/preparedness-tips-for-families/

COVID-19 Preparedness and Resources

https://www.autism-society.org/news/covid-19-preparedness-and-resources/

How to talk with children about the coronavirus

https://childmind.org/article/talking-to-kids-about-the-coronavirus/

Mental Health and Coping During COVID-19

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/coping.html

5 Things To Know About CoronaVirus and People With Disabilities

https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewpulrang/2020/03/08/5-things-to-know-about-coronavirus-and-people-with-disabilities/#4c91fe731d21

We will continue to work hard to bring you meaningful events that create more opportunities to advocate for a better quality of life for those affected by autism.

Warm regards, Melissa