Community Day: Saturday, April 2
On Saturday, April 2, from 1-4 p.m., the UC Davis MIND Institute, located at 2825 50th St. on UC Davis' Sacramento campus, will hold a family-oriented Community Day. Activities will include sidewalk chalk art, an art project contributed by the Crocker Art Museum, a treasure hunt, tour of the MIND Institute's collection of art by individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders, and tile painting for an outdoor sculpture. The event is free and open to the public and no reservations are required.
The Hardwood Palace Sports and Events Center of Rocklin, Calif., will give basketball tips and Slamson, mascot of the Sacramento Kings, will make an appearance. Entertainment will feature performances by the California Aggie Marching Band-Uh!, B Street Theatre, Steven Buzzard and Very Special Arts Hip-Hop Group.
The MiniBurger food truck will be on site serving its specialty burgers, with a portion of the proceeds from food sales donated to the MIND Insitutue. The MIND Institute also will launch a "Be the Science" campaign, intended to encourage people of all ages, including people without disabilities, to participate in clinical research.
"The day will be one of learning, creating and celebrating children and families in the community," said Maria Kaufman, MIND Institute board member and chair for the event. "It will be an opportunity for MIND Institute staff to talk with parents, encourage families with typically developing children to participate in research and to offer families of children with developmental disorders information and help, if needed."
Minds Behind the MIND Lecture: Wednesday, April 6
The MIND Institute will hold its "Minds Behind the MIND" lecture on Wednesday, April 6, 5:30-7 p.m. in the MIND Institute auditorium. The discussion will address research insights into autism spectrum disorders. Panelists will include David Amaral, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and director of research at the MIND Institute; Peter Mundy, professor and Lisa Capps Chair for Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Education in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and School of Education; and Sally Rogers, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences. The event is free and open to the public and no reservations are required.
Taking the MIND to Midtown: Saturday, April 9
The UC Davis MIND Institute is "Taking the MIND to Midtown" for Sacramento's Second Saturday art walk. Held from 5-9 p.m. on Saturday, April 9 at the Green Living Center at 919 20th St., Sacramento, the MIND exhibit will feature a sample of the MIND Institute's collection of art work by individuals with neurodevelopmetnal disorders, as well as work from the Creekside Academy, Short Center and Southside Arts organizations, which specialize in art-related programs for people with special needs. Portions of the art exhibit will be available for sale. Accompanying the exhibit will be entertainment by the Custom Neon Band. The MiniBurger food truck will sell refreshments.
Other activities throughout the month of April will include recognition at the Sacramento Kings basketball game on Friday (April 1) to raise awareness of autism. From April 1-15, patrons visiting any of the nine Nugget Markets may make donations to the MIND Institute at the checkout counter. The stores also will offer more information about autism on their in-house monitors.
The MIND Institute's National Autism Awareness Month activities are supported by PRIDE Industries; Nugget Markets; Runyon, Saltzman, Einhorn, Inc.; the Midtown Business Association and the Sacramento Kings. Nugget Markets will match customer donations up to a total of $2,000. To make a donation to the MIND Institute, text the donation amount to MIND 90999.
The UC Davis MIND (Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders) Institute, in Sacramento, was founded in 1998 as a unique interdisciplinary research center where parents, community leaders, researchers, clinicians and volunteers collaborate to study and treat autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders. The institute has major research efforts in autism, Tourette syndrome, fragile X syndrome, chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).