Bookfair Supports Children and Adults with Autism

PACE (Pacific Autism Center for Education) has been helping children and adults with autism since 1989. The non-profit organization has grown from 14 to 60 students as well as providing early intervention programs for almost 50 families and housing for children and adults.

PACE relies largely on donations to provide one-on-one support for their students and other clients. And that’s where fundraisers such as bookfairs come in.

is hosting the PACE bookfair this Friday, June 10 starting at 9:00 a.m.

Ashley Dahl-Koepplin, manager of the center’s Sunny Days Preschool and Nora Martin, PACE Marketing and Communication Manager, are both involved in the bookfair. They said this year’s focus will be on books about health and self-help skills.

“We are always looking for our students to gain independence, and this is a big part of that,” Martin said.

Books they will be reading at the fair include The Sugarbug Hunter by Deserie Yeager and Jimmy Dowell, Germs Are Not For Sharing by Elizabeth Verdick and Marieka Heinlen, I’m Growing by Aliki and A Social Story by Carol Gray.

“A Social Story is a story that shares information and models appropriate behavior and skills,” Martin said. “And they are commonly used for children with Autism.”

Proceeds from the bookfair will be used to purchase picture books and books on tape for PACE’s  preschool library. Martin said books are “immensely important” to both children and adults with autism.

“Because many individuals with autism are visual learners, seeing and reading a book is a fantastic time to learn,” she said. “Many of our students have a love for books and love to spend time reading them.”

Come out to the PACE bookfair and help support this worthy cause!

The Friends of Campbell Library is holding its monthly book sale on Saturday June 11 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on the lower level of the . This is a great opportunity to pick up books for dollars—or cents!