Dallas Runs for Autistic Children

Dallas (Texas), 3 January
People who run every day, people who run once in a while, and even those who had never run before came together in Euless on Saturday. They all had one reason — Walk for Autism.

The five-kilometer event was organized by One Step Foundation to support autistic children. More than 270 people of all ages took part, from four- and five-year-old children to senior citizens in their eighties.

The run was free, and 267 participants had registered in advance. Many others joined on the day itself after hearing about the event. They did not want to miss the chance to be part of the cause.

With Data Flake  as the main sponsor, the program received strong support from the community. Families of autistic children helped in different ways. Some arranged drinking water, others brought coffee and fruit. Various organizations sent volunteers, and many people volunteered on their own. With everyone’s help, Walk for Autism was completed successfully.

This was not a race to win. There were no prizes for speed and no competition among runners. Everyone who participated was treated as a winner, and all received medals. It was the first time such a run for autistic children was held in Texas, and the event stood out for its simple and inclusive approach.

There was no formal opening or closing ceremony. There were no chief guests or speeches. The focus remained on autistic children and their families.

Bal Joshi, a marathon runner and volunteer with One Step Foundation, handed over NPR 100,000 collected from the event to Jigyasa Foundation in Nepal, which works with autistic children.

“Support from the whole community is needed to address the challenges faced by autistic children,” Joshi said. “Unless people understand what these families go through, real change is not possible. That is why we invited everyone to join us.”

Event coordinator Manoj Katuwal thanked all participants, volunteers, sponsors, and supporters for their contribution to the program.