GRAND ISLAND, N — On a gorgeous Thursday afternoon on Grand Island, Dory Matwijkow walked down the boardwalk of Beaver Island State Park.
She hopes on Saturday, the same walk, will be a crowded one.
She's hosting Dory's Walk, it’s a Step Up for Autism walk. The walk is to raise money and awareness.
“We were able to donate $10,000 last year. It was life changing for them and me,” said Matwijkow.
Her son is Austin.
“I have a son on the spectrum, and he lives in a group home in Jamestown,” explained Matwijkow.
The group home is called The Resource Center. Every year, the home would hold their own autism walk to raise money. The pandemic changed that. In 2020, the walk was canceled.
Dory decided to step up and host her own. It was a success. When she learned The Resource Center wouldn't be able to host the walk again this year, she didn't hesitate. She decided to make Dory's Walk a yearly event.
“We've done their autism walk for the last three years and then when they canceled then, I just realized that there was something that I could do,” said Matwijkow.
The walk is on Grand Island at Beaver Island State Park at noon on October 16th. Registration and the basket raffle start at 11. The walk will happen rain or shine.
