EagleCon is happening this Saturday, providing a socially-distanced autism awareness day with game convention elements.
The local event combines informational panels on autism and related topics and tabletop roleplaying games. EagleCon will be online through Zoom, Roll20, and Discord. The date is Aug. 15, from 12 Noon to 6 p.m. (Informational Flyers & Zoom Links are Below)
EagleCon serves as Jared Barnes’ Eagle Scout project, and the Fort Mill teen is organizing it in conjunction with the S.C. Autism Society. Jared was identified with autism in 2014 and has faced the challenges many children on the autism spectrum encounter. Despite these, he has graduated a year early with honors and will be attending Winthrop this fall.
“Jared believes that he can make a difference in the world through EagleCon,” a press release says. “EagleCon is focused on helping families and children learn more about autism and how to embrace their uniqueness to be successful independent adults.”
Jared has planned a day of activities allowing parents and children to learn more about Autism Spectrum Disorder. There will be Q&A panels featuring representatives of the SCAS and other interested parties from the area and gaming activities such as Dungeons & Dragons.
The S.C. Autism Society began in the early 1970s as a group of dedicated parents of children with autism came together for fellowship. They realized how little was known about autism and recognized that children with autism have their own special needs. Services were nonexistent or inappropriate.
The parents stood together as a unified voice and worked diligently to improve life for individuals with autism and their families in our state. Their grass roots efforts would come to be known as the South Carolina Autism Society. The organization was chartered by the State of South Carolina in 1972 and received 501(c)(3) status from the Internal Revenue Service in 1974.
SCAS is the only state-wide organization advocating for children and adults with autism spectrum disorders and their families. The South Carolina Autism Society provides assistance, education, services, and resources to improve the lives of individuals affected by autism. Every dollar that we raise stays in South Carolina to ensure that the nearly 70,000 individuals with autism spectrum disorder living in South Carolina have opportunities to achieve a quality of life comparable to their peers.
EagleCon’s sponsors and donors also include Your Local Game Store, Publix, Wizards of the Coast, R. Talsorian Games, Sly Flourish, and Beadle & Grim.
IMPORTANT FLYERS, SCHEDULE AND ZOOM LINKS:
All role players will need to have or create:
* A Warhorn account to sign up:
https://warhorn.net/events/eaglecon-2020
* A Roll20 account for the online game:
https://roll20.net/
* A Discord account for audio:
https://discord.com/new
Schedule · Saturday, August 15, 2020
12:00 PM – 12:15 PMOpening Event: Keynote Speaker – Kim Thomas, President & CEO, SC Autism Societyhttps://us02web.zoom.us/j/88437870461
12:15 PM – 1:15 PM: Youths with Autism PanelMeet our Youths with Autism Panel members from 12:15Pm to 1:15PM:@ zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87517292690
1:15 PM – 2:15 PM: SC Autism Society Panel
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88697015783
2:15 PM – 3:15 PM: Parents of Autistic Children Panel
Meet our Parents of Autistic Children Panel members from 2:15Pm to 3:15PM:@ zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89536281749
3:15 PM – 4:15 PM: Special Education Panel
Meet our Special Education Panel from 3:15PM to 4:15PM:
@ zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87128451807
4:15 PM – 5:15 PM: Related Service Providers for Children with Disabilities
Meet our Related Service Providers Panel members from 4:15Pm to 5:15PM:@ zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89634653228
5:15 PM – 5:30 PM: Closing Ceremonies: Speaker – Jared Barnes, EagleCon founder https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87250693385
For further info about EagleCon, please go to eagle-con.org.