Learning to navigate daily life is hard enough when juggling work, school, family, friends, pets, hobbies and chores. But for the more than 140,000 people in Washington State on the Autism spectrum, there are extra challenges, barriers and difficulties. The Washington Autism Alliance works around the clock to provide access to healthcare, education and social services for those with autism spectrum disorder and support families or caregivers with vital resources. Each April, Olympia’s Boggs Inspection Services hosts a fundraiser for the WAA by donating a portion of each inspection cost to this important mission.
Boggs Inspection Services Honors the Washington Autism Alliance
2024 is the eighth year that Boggs has set aside April to celebrate World Autism Month. It started when CEO Dwayne Boggs was at an inspection for a single mom with her autistic son. The boy, who didn’t typically feel comfortable around strangers according to his mom, was intrigued and followed Dwayne around during the process.
This tender interaction led Boggs to find ways of supporting other families dealing with autism spectrum disorder in the region. He discovered the Washington Autism Alliance and deeply appreciates their local impact in our area. “Boggs believes that children deserve ample support, as they have no control over their environment, disabilities, or surroundings and cannot help themselves,” says Marketing Specialist Heather Derrick.
“Therefore, we choose to primarily support organizations that help children,” she continues. “Boggs is a family-focused business. Dwayne’s goal has always been to provide a great work environment for not only his employees but their families as well. Dwayne and Ana plan family events throughout the year—fun things for our kids to engage in and support us in our personal lives any way they can.”
Other groups which benefit from their combined generosity include the Rachel Lynn Henley Foundation, Partners in Education, Communities for a Healthy Bay, Women of Strength and many others in the real estate industry.
South Sound Home Inspection Services: Real World Experience Meets Real Life Caring
Bre Cowher has only been part of the Boggs Inspection Services team for a few months but she’s already appreciative of their support. Cowher’s son Damon is on the autism spectrum and requires assistive therapies, devices and education. Currently he has multiple hourly sessions with a professional each week and will likely require an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) device to help him communicate.
She says that for her, one of the most difficult parts of parenting a child on the spectrum is watching them get frustrated with their inability to communicate or be understood, become overwhelmed in new places or crowds, and not getting to do all the same things as their peers.
“It’s exhausting to parent a child on the spectrum, it’s almost like being in a constant state of worry,” says Cowher. “You only ever want your child to be happy and healthy and have everything they could ever want, but that’s also a positive thing because I know for my son it doesn’t take much to make him happy. He’s genuinely a happy kid, he communicates in his own way and whether he ever communicates with his words or not it doesn’t matter to us.”
“The biggest thing people may not understand is my son is a child just like everyone else’s,” she says. “He may be different but there is absolutely nothing wrong with being different. He loves the same, and it may not be with his words but with his actions every day we know how much he loves us.”
Raising Money for Autism Spectrum Disorder During World Autism Month
Cowher hopes that by shining a light on the Washington Autism Alliance, Boggs can help provide additional help to other families like theirs. She explains that it’s often a waiting game of long waiting lists for very limited resources.
“I think it’s important to do fundraisers and events for autism awareness because people don’t know exactly what autism entails,” says Cowher. “A lot of the time, you think of autism as someone being either very smart or not able to function on their own at all. While that is part of it, there are three levels of autism and no child’s case is the same. Helping to fund research to better understand and hopefully one day find a cure is a huge act of kindness that I know I personally appreciate.”
“Our greatest joy is hearing Damon laugh, watching him do things independently, and babbling or saying even one word just one time,” she says. “Small victories help put us at ease for the future at times. At the end of the day, our greatest joy really is just being Damon’s parents, he’s such a cool kid and I couldn’t be more thankful to be his mom.”
Contribute to the Washington Autism Alliance by scheduling an inspection with Boggs at 360.480.9602 or directly on their WAA fundraising page. To learn more about the Washington Autism Alliance, sign up for their newsletter, register for services, attend training workshops, share upcoming events or get involved. With care and support, our loved ones on the ASD can thrive, experience, learn and grow.
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