Welcome Sign Goes Blue for Autism Awareness
Clark County commissioners joined the Grant a Gift Autism Foundation today to turn the welcome to Las Vegas sign blue in support of World Autism Day and Autism Awareness Month.
“We are proud to stand with the more than 7,000 Nevada families touched by autism,” Commission Chairman Marilyn Kirkpatrick said. “We want them all to know how much we support them and call upon others to learn more about autism.”
“Autism affects 7,000 children in Nevada, and early detection is the key to connecting these children and their families with the support they need,” Commissioner Michael Naft said. “By coming together today we hope to raise awareness of the importance of education and recognizing the signs of autism.”
“Autism touches many families in Clark County and throughout the country,” Commissioner William McCurdy II said. “We come together today to show our support for them and shine a light on the need for more education and research into this condition.”
County Commissioners and representatives from the Grant a Gift Foundation turned on blue light bulbs installed on the world-famous “Welcome” sign during a brief ceremony today. The light bulbs, which are usually yellow, surround the border of the sign. Like the famed Las Vegas Strip, the “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign is in unincorporated Clark County.
“Today kicks off National Autism Awareness Month,” said Peter Krauss, President and CEO of the Grant a Gift Autism Foundation. “One in 54 kids are on the autism spectrum and here in Las Vegas these families are severely underserved with limited resources to diagnose and then treat children on the spectrum. Grant a Gift and the Ackerman Autism Center are working hard to change that. Your help is needed to funded staff and programs to help these families struggling to navigate the challenges of autism. Today we light the Welcome to Las Vegas sign blue in recognition of Awareness Month! Please support us in this important mission.”
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Clark County is a dynamic and innovative organization dedicated to providing top-quality service with integrity, respect and accountability. With jurisdiction over the world-famous Las Vegas Strip and covering an area the size of New Jersey, Clark is the nation’s 11th-largest county and provides extensive regional services to 2.4 million citizens and 45.6 million visitors a year (2019). Included are the nation’s 9th-busiest airport, air quality compliance, social services and the state’s largest public hospital, University Medical Center. The County also provides municipal services that are traditionally provided by cities to 1.1 million residents in the unincorporated area. Those include fire protection, roads and other public works, parks and recreation, and planning and development.
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