Published April 23, 2025
Local parenting blogger, Jackie Davidson shares her experience at this year’s Autism and Special Needs Acceptance Day, sponsored by the Port Huron Police Department.
All About Safety
Every year during Autism Awareness Month, the Port Huron Police department teams up with many different networks, St Clair Community Mental Health, and many others to put on a beautiful event in Pine Grove Park. It is normally held on the third Saturday in April and is a fun, safe,and inclusive event in our area!
What to expect
The event features a fun bounce house, streamer tunnel, therapy dogs, and snacks for all who attend. Once you arrive, you can stroll through different vendors who provide information for our kids with special needs. There is a newly renovated park nearby as well. Although the event is not strictly for autism, but instead for a wide variety of special needs, it is heavily focused on autistic individuals and their needs.
Who is there?
This year there was a booth for St. Clair County Community Mental Health and the Disability Network of Eastern Michigan. I was fortunate to speak with Christine Cook, the associate director of Eastern Michigan Disability Network. Aside from being kind, welcoming, and excited, Christine gave me a full rundown of their program.
Eastern Michigan Disability Network
Eastern Michigan Disability Network provides opportunities for people to connect, learn new skills, and have fun in a welcoming environment. They offer classes such as adaptive art, kayaking, cooking, cycling, and even golf for disabled individuals. The classes are everywhere from Troy, Michigan, to the Bluewater area. I can speak from first-hand experience just how hard it is to find activities and opportunities for our autistic children that have a safe and understanding environment, so this was very exciting for me to learn about!
St. Clair County Community Mental Health
St. Clair County Community Mental Health provided a ton of information, but what I found the most remarkable was the Autism Support Group, which is open to anyone in the community who cares for and supports an autistic child or adult. They meet every third Thursday of each month at The Harrison Center, located at 55 15th St, Port Huron, MI 48060, in room 122. They offer both morning and evening meeting times!
Camp Grace Bentley
Camp Grace Bentley is another booth I am always very excited to visit. Starting at age 7, with no cap on age as they get older, there is a camp right here in the Blue Water area! Our disabled children and adult friends can go to a summer camp where they have fun and safe experiences with qualified adults. My autistic child, Lydia, is one year away, but I am so excited to see what is in store for her future through this program.
Why the Police Department?
Although there are many vendors there, the most important one, in my personal opinion, is where you are able to register your child or disabled adult with the Port Huron Police. By doing this, I know that if Lydia were to get lost at an event, elope, or get taken, they have her registered when she isn’t able to answer their questions. They have a photo on file and can figure out who the individual is to keep them safe and who to contact if found.
A bonus is that they give you free stickers for your home and cars that alert first responders, police, and anyone who approaches that there is an individual with autism in the home or car who may not respond to verbal commands. This puts my heart at ease that if I were to ever get pulled over, and if Lydia was yelling for some particular reason, they would not be alarmed by my child and approach with an open mind.
If you missed the event, do not worry! You can stop into the Port Huron Police Department any time and register your person and receive the proper stickers and information!
Story and photos by Jackie Davidson for BlueWaterParent.com
All content of BlueWaterParent.com is for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.
Go to the BlueWaterParent.com Autism Guide for much more information.
