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W e d n e s d ay, A p r i l 16, 2025
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Playing DIRTY
A child makes a mud pie in a small bucket.
PROVIDED PHOTO
Amir Moore looks inside a model train set held at Traintastic, a model train museum in Gulfport. Miss.
Autism fest helps kids and parents find resources Westwego event won’t leave out food and fun
STAFF PHOTOS BY SCOTT THRELKELD
Children get messy while playing on a mountainous, muddy dirt pile during Mud Fest.
BY EVA JACOB BARKOFF Contributing writer
Kodi Taveras, 8, slides down a muddy hill.
Mud Fest at the Louisiana Children’s Museum in New Orleans featured mud-themed stations for games and activities, live entertainment and the allure of a giant, muddy hill perfect for climbing, burrowing with tools and toys, and sliding willy-nilly down the muddy mess.
Jumping off point
Do your homework before acquiring a real Easter bunny The Easter holiday sometimes brings with it the urge to get the a live bunny to please the kids. Before you do, stop and think it through. Consider the amount of work and the long-term commitment that comes with ownership of any Traci pet, but especially for Howerton rabbits. ANIMAL Contrary to popular RESCUE belief, they are not lowmaintenance pets and need just as much care and attention — if not more — as cats and dogs. I have never had a bunny, but I did have a guinea pig, and they are definitely more high-maintenance than dogs. Our guinea pig was worth the work, but many people may not realize how much time and care these types of pets need.
for the level of commitment. Each year, following Easter, inexperienced owners surrender these “gift” rabbits to shelters — or worse, just set free outdoors to fend for themselves. These pets cannot survive in the wild. Domesticated rabbits are not the same as the wild bunnies we see in nature. They also cannot just be left in a cage in the backyard. They are sensitive to temperature and cannot handle STAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER cold or heat. Rabbits are not ideal pets for small Donna Rome, of BunnAgain Rabbit children, as they are fragile and can Rescue, holds a bunny that was bite. abandoned in Lafreniere Park, during Here are some bunny facts: a fundraiser for the rescue last year at n Rabbits can live 10-12 years. n They require care from a veteriJefferson Feed in Jefferson. narian trained to treat rabbits. They For the unprepared, once the novelty are prone to several health issues and wears off, the cute little bunny can will need regular checkups. quickly become more of a burden than ä See BUNNY, page 2G a blessing if the family is not prepared
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Sherelle Porter’s son, Amir Moore, was diagnosed with autism when he was 2 years old. “It was determined that Amir had a speech delay, which was difficult for him because he was unable to communicate,” Porter said. “Out of frustration, he would bang his head against the wall to try to express himself. And I could not hold a conversation with him.” Porter heard about Autism Society of Greater New Orleans from friends and family. “The organization has provided me with a list of resources that helped not only Amir but me as well,” said Porter, an ASGNO board member. “Now Amir can communicate on some level. When he’s hungry, he will rub his stomach or open the refrigerator door to show me what he wants to eat. The organization has been a valuable resource which has meant the world to me.” The nonprofit ASGNO serves the needs of children and their families in Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard, St. Tammany, Washington, St. Charles, St. James and St. John the Baptist parishes with neurological disorders. On April 19, it will hold its 20th annual festival, presented by the Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Westwego Farmer’s Market, 484 Sala Ave. The event includes food, activities and resources available to autistic individuals and their families. About 500 to 600 people are expected to attend.
Finding each other Claire Tibbetts, the group’s executive, says it has various ways of connecting with families. “Last year, more than 1,500 people attended our in-person event, which serves people of all ages,” Tibbetts said. “Our digital reach is even greater, with 15,000 visitors to our website and over 100,000 engagements across our social media channels. ... Some are referred by physicians, while others are referred to by friends and family members, as well as social media searches.”
Defining autism Autism, Tibbetts said, is a term for a range of neurodevelopmental differences. “It impacts the way the brain processes and uses information,” Tibbetts explained. “Autism
ä See AUTISM, page 2G
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