The Kiwanis Club of Sheboygan Falls has continued donating iPads to Autistic Children through the many months of COVID-19. The most recent was to a Sheboygan Falls girl, Nora Crownover, who will be four years old in July.  She is the daughter of Cheyenne Crownover. 

The”iPads for Autism” program was initiated in 2012 when Sheboygan Falls Kiwanian, Lynn Messer, served the Wisconsin-Upper Michigan District as the service organization’s Governor.   Lynn and his wife, Merita, have an autistic granddaughter and, back in 2012, they saw an opportunity, through Kiwanis service, to administer help to children who have autism and their families by providing iPads  Over the past nine years this project touched the lives of many families throughout that WI-UM District. 

The program begins with an application from the parent or guardian, has input from the autistic child’s therapists, and a wait for approval.  Once approved, there might be another wait until funding is available.  The funding is done by individual clubs.  Overall, the project has received admirable support from the communities.  The benefits have been tremendous, especially in the area of communication of these kids.  The therapists are involved at the time the iPads are ordered so that software can be included that will address the individual needs of the recipients.  

To date, the Sheboygan Falls Club has raised in excess of $28,000 and donated 51 iPads.  These numbers for the entire District are over $700,000 raised and 1300 iPads donated.  To learn more about this program, to make a donation, or to join Kiwanis, please visit www.sheboyganfallskiwanis.com/