President’s Message #3

Posted By: Post 21 Club on August 22, 12:16 PM

Dear Reader,

 

It has definitely been an eventful year, not only for this Website, but for me and my family as well!

As far as this website, Post 21 Club and I certainly hope that you are enjoying the near-monthly improvements and new features we've been adding: Front Page Bulletin Board, Art Gallery, Videos, Upcoming Events Calendar, and new content articles.  We'd like you to know that we're lining up a more constant stream of new content articles; we have a few hurdles to clear, but once we're through those, you should see a lot of lively updates on a continuing basis!

As always, we hope you can see what we're trying to accomplish for the community, and hope you'll partake by becoming a subscribing Member, and consider contributing your own content as well, or even joining our Editorial team!

For our family: our 29 y.o. son Jonathan is now at month 3 in the Joydew Employment Training / Day Program, and I can't say enough kind and gratitude-filled words I have for the Joydew Team.  They've taken my own long-held beliefs that there's a lot behind the classic-Autism mannerisms and behaviors that he constantly exhibits, and have gone far beyond!  As I am learning from the Joydew team, we all have to look beyond the "stims" and "obsessive-compulsive" behaviors, try to ignore tham actually, and constructively connect with the real person inside.  Amazing developmental progress is unleashed!  I am convinced that the key to solving the puzzle of Autism lies at least partially with "seeing past" the behaviors!

One of the most amazing things I've learned lately is that some of the most amazing abilities are held by individuals with Autism who are non-verbal, who were even recently considered "low-functioning".  The term "low-functioning" should perhaps be discontinued- continued experience indicates that perhaps there is no such thing.  It may need to join the now-defunct term "mentally-retarded" in the dustbin of developmental history!

Won't you consider joining me and Post 21 Club in one of the noblest endeavors ever- to look beyond what appears to be "a disorder", and help to liberate an entire population on the Autism Spectrum from being considered "a burden on Society"?  Get involved; it's not a responsibility, it's an adventure, and an exciting one!

 

Larry Lam

President, Post 21 Club

President’s Message #3
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President’s Message #2

Posted By: LarryLam on June 22, 12:03 PM

Hello, Visitor!

I'm excited!  Why?  Because after years of dreaming about a vital, community-interactive Post 21 Club website, I think we're really making progress in making the dream come true!

If you're clicking through the site, hopefully you'll be noticing some of the interesting videos we've collected; articles about Autism and how things are massively changing (for the better!); marveling at some of the works of art created by "our guys on the Spectrum"; and other features-in-the-making.

On the downside, perhaps you'll come across some aspects of the website that still need a lot of development and refinement.  I would  personally like to see so many aspects of the website developed further, but of course things take time.

I invite you to join in and participate (there are multiple ways).  Hopefully, you'll become a subscribing member and join us in this adventure.  At the very least, I hope you'll write to info@post21club.org and give us your thoughts about what you like or don't like about this site, and your positive suggestions, as well!  We want to be your "go-to" Adult Autsim community resources website!  Feedback, input, and suggestions are always welcome.

On June 27, 2018, we're holding a Focus/Community Group meeting, and interested parties are welcome to attend and share their views about our website.  Invites have already been sent, but we may have room to accommodate more people.  Again, if you are interested, email us at info@post21club.org and we'll try to make room for your.  There will be some refreshments served!

 

Sincerely,

Larry Lam

President, Post 21 Club

President’s Message #2
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President’s Message

Posted By: LarryLam on June 4, 6:54 PM

A brief introduction: My wife Natalie and I live in Bergen County, New Jersey, are proud parents of our son Jonathan. When he was first born, we knew very little if anything about "Autism". Over the 29 years of Jonathan’s life, we’ve gotten more involved with Autism than we could have ever foreseen or imagined.

Natalie and I are also co-founders and Trustees of Post 21 Club, the same group of parents that have continuously helped bring about positive change in Bergen County since our founding in 2004, and also helped raise awareness- not only with regard to Autism, but the amazing potentials that lie under the surface. Each day, all of us benefit from the contributions of Adults with Autism. Like everyone, their successes grow out of the efforts of individuals as well as their families and communities. In order to optimize their chances for success, we need a vibrant flow of information, conversation and communication throughout the Autism community, and also raise the awareness of our elected representatives in government. (To help accomplish that, we've created and continue to develop this first interactive Autism Community website.)

We also need increasingly relevant programs that better meet our population's true needs.

What are these "true needs?" What we have learned is that every affected individual is a complete person inside, with fascinating goals and aspirations. It's important and exciting to reach in, discover, and liberate these "inner people"! Then they can fully become who they were meant to be.

It is important that those of us who care for those of us around people with Autism reject preconceptions and misconceptions about people with Autism, and make a decision to uncover their real inner potentials, desires, needs, aspirations, and goals.

If you think it's not possible that they have these attributes, think again.

Today, there are many people on the Autism Spectrum who have emerged as vibrant and unusual thinkers, scientists, artists, technicians, writers, and speakers, who owe some or most of their emergence to the assistance of those around them who love, support, and assist them. There are so many more who want and need to emerge, enjoy the richness of life, and contribute their unique views and talents to our communities and our planet. (Note that some of these very notable and accomplished individuals remain nonverbal!)

We invite you to explore this website, and if you like what you see and the potential for what the website itself can become, please step forward and let us know how you might like to participate in our evolution.

Please join us in our Final and Greatest Frontier...

Sincerely,

Larry Lam
Post 21 Club

President’s Message
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