Event set to raise funds for, awareness of, autism

A vendor event at the Atrium Mall this Saturday will allow people to win prizes and buy items, while simultaneously raising money for and learning about programs for people on the autism spectrum.

Cole Horinek, the event’s organizer whose son Donald is on the spectrum, said about 20 to 25 vendors are expected to show up Saturday and be set up at least throughout the main floor of the Atrium.

“We are going to be spread out all around the main floor, there is going to be things going on possibly on all three floors as well,” he said.

Horinek said he has organized similar events at the Atrium since January that have raised money for organizations like the Havre Community Food Bank and the Inverness Volunteer Fire Department.

At Saturday’s event, he said, vendors will sell items such as coffee, jewelry and Tupperware, and Vintage Nana’s Indian Tacos & Catering, a food truck from Great Falls, will also sell food.

Organizations such as We Are Autism Havre, Montana Special Olympics and the Sense-Ability School, a Great Falls school for children on the spectrum, will also have informational tables, he said.

Horinek said money will be raised through the sale of raffle tickets for items donated by the vendors. Tickets can be purchased at the event for $5 each or five for $20.

Individual vendors can also hold small raffles or smaller efforts at the event to raise additional money, he said.

Horinek added that it has not been decided which organizations the money raised will go toward because, Horinek said, he wants to see how much money is raised and where it is most needed.

Jean Winchell of We Are Autism Havre said her group will have several activities aimed at children on the spectrum such as a small obstacle course and crafts.

A representative of the group will also be on scene to take children outside to use sidewalk chalk, if the weather permits.

Horinek said the vendor show will be Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Space is still available for more vendors. Vendors who want to have a table at the event can sign up by contacting Horinek at the vendor event’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/events/1896799227060025/ or by just showing up Saturday.

All vendors, he said, are required to pay a $5 table fee that will go to the Atrium to offset the cost of utilities, and donate an item to be raffled off.