It began when Loren Penman of Batavia had a conversation
with a friend about the effect the park had on her grandson who lives near
Albany. Her grandson is on the autism spectrum.
"He has no language and is in a constant state of
agitation," Loren said. "But when his mother brings him to see his
grandmother and they go to Letchworth State Park, he is at peace."
Penman has 40 years in education as a teacher and
administrator. Over the past few years she, Susan Herrnstein and Gail Serventi have
helped grow the idea of an autism nature trail at Letchworth alongside a
volunteer team of speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, a
physical therapist, families, teachers, parks officials and architects. They
even received input from world-renowned autism spokesperson and professor
Temple Grandin.
What they've come up with is a proposed one and a quarter
mile trail just behind the new Humphrey Nature Center. That makes it close to
parking lots, bathrooms and, if needed, park police. Read more on the story from 13WHAM HERE.