This morning, about a hundred children and their families gathered at Sugar King Park in Garapan for a morning of inclusive, sensory-friendly fun at the 4th Annual Autism Egg Hunt, hosted by the Autism Society of the CNMI.
Families began registering as early as 9:30 a.m. for the highly anticipated event. The hunt kicked off promptly at 10:00 a.m. and lasted for an exciting 22 minutes, with participants ranging in age from one to 15 years old.
Eleven-year-old Aiyanah claimed the event's top prize, taking home the Grand Prize.
Other winners of the day included - Gold Egg Winner: Leilei (8 years old), Silver Egg Winner: Abir (6 years old), and Most Eggs Collected: Jaden (12 years old), who gathered an impressive total of 65 eggs.
Adding to the morning's festivities, the children also enjoyed playing and exploring in the Z's Play Trailer that was set up on-site for the event.
ASCNMI President Clarice Arriola highlighted the core mission behind the annual gathering, which is specifically designed to accommodate the unique needs of children on the spectrum.
"This marks our 4th year of conducting the Autism Egg Hunt which is reserved for individuals on the spectrum and their families in hopes that it's less overwhelming and that we can provide a safe, comfortable, and sensory-friendly environment where everyone can enjoy it at their own pace," Arriola stated.
Arriola noted as she explained the decision that the organization purposely scheduled the egg hunt for Saturday because Sunday is Easter, allowing families to reserve that time to celebrate the holiday at home with their relatives.
Furthermore, Arriola added that strict safety measures were factored into the planning. Sugar King Park was chosen specifically because it is a gated area, making it an ideal, secure location for an autism-friendly Easter Egg Hunt.
The Autism Society of the CNMI was established in 2007 by Representative Marissa Flores and John Guerrero. After relocating from the U.S. mainland to Saipan, the couple—who have a child on the spectrum themselves—realized there was a critical lack of support groups for autism in the community and took the initiative to form the organization.
President Arriola concluded the event by extending her heartfelt thanks to her fellow ASCNMI Board of Directors for their hard work and dedication in making the egg hunt a success, including Benjamin Babauta, Vice President, Shawna Babauta, Secretary, and Valerie Aguon, Treasurer
Share this article
