The Second Annual “Walk for Autism” will take place Saturday at Richard Wood Park in Thorsby.

According to event coordinator Mendy Lyle, the goal is to turn it into an event and not just a walk. The intention is for people to come for the walk but stay for festivities surrounding it.

The idea for the walk came about after Lyle’s friend Jennifer Curtis’ son was diagnosed with autism in 2015.

“She wanted to do something special to bring awareness,” Lyle said. “She contacted the Autism Society, and they really helped with everything. You’ve got to do the leg work, but they give you the ideas for fundraising and the materials needed to set up a walk.”

This year’s event will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will have plenty of activities for the entire family to enjoy.

The walk is scheduled to begin around 11:30 a.m. and is a 2-mile loop that will begin and end at Richard Wood Park. Dogs are welcome to take part in the walk as long as they are on a leash.

Jimbo’s Bar-B-Que and Catering will be on hand to provide food along with a bounce house, face-painting, a bubble station, a kissing booth sponsored by Hotel Pit Bull and numerous vendors.

The vendor count jumped from five to 20 booths from year one to year two, Lyle said.

All the proceeds from the event will go to the Autism Society of Alabama to further help raise awareness and provide need for children throughout the state.

According to Lyle, there will be parents from the surrounding area attending the event with children affected by autism.

The vendors will hold raffles, and handmade bracelets will be on sale to add to the donation opportunities.

“Everything that we make goes directly to them,” Lyle said. “It’s not about making money for anybody except the Autism Society.”

Lyle said that she is in good shape with volunteers but is in need of walkers more than anything.

“So far I’ve received a lot of good feedback,” Lyle said. “I don’t have an approximate number of how many people will be there until the day of.”

There are high hopes for the walk, and Lyle is encouraged by the leap the event has made during its second year.

“I want it to be as big as the park can hold,” Lyle said. “As long as I am going to do it, I’m going to do it right.”

A fee of $30 is required to walk in the event if registered prior to the event. The entry fee will be $35 on the day of the event. T-shirts will be provided to all participants.

For more information about the event and the registration process, call (205) 515-2975.