BETHEL — A local woman has organized an educational, fundraising motorcycle ride to help families with autistic children and to educate the public about the disease.

“If I can only help one family, well it’s better than helping none,” said Tabaitha Steward of Bethel, the Maine representative for the national group Unlocking Autism and mother of an autistic child.

With the help of L-A Harley-Davidson in Lewiston and the Oxford Chapter of the United Bikers of Maine, Steward has organized the benefit ride from the L-A Harley-Davidson headquarters on Main Street to Mt. Blue State Park in Weld and back on Oct. 3.

The motorcyclists will be followed by a busload of children who have been diagnosed with autism.

“We want to raise awareness about autism,” said Steward, whose 8-year-old son Jared was diagnosed with the disease two years ago.

Steward said the motorcyclists will pay $15 to ride and for food after the ride is over at L-A Harley-Davidson. She said the business is footing the bill for the event.

The public is also encouraged to participate in the ride by either taking part in it or joining the group and children after at L-A Harley-Davidson for food and festivities.

Eighty percent of the proceeds will stay in the state to help families with such needs as paying for a child’s therapy, Steward said. The remaining money will go to the national organization to help pay for conferences and other things that help educate and raise awareness about autism.

Steward’s son was diagnosed with autism when a teacher saw the signs, and the family was able to get the help Jared needed. Steward said she retired from her job as a full-time postal worker in Bethel to stay at home with her son.

“My child’s amazing,” she said of her son, who attends Crescent Park Elementary School where he is receiving special education services.

Steward said not all of his teachers have been able to recognize or deal with the effects of autism, which is one reason why she hopes to get a bill in the state Legislature that would mandate training for all teachers, cafeteria workers, bus drivers and anyone else who has contact with schoolchildren with autism.

“We’re so rural. There’s such a lack of knowledge (about autism) here in Maine,” she said.

“When it hits you personally, you advocate more,” she said.

According to information from the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 2,231 children being serviced in Maine public schools in 2008 between the ages of 3 and 20 who had some sort of autism. Additionally, the number of children receiving special education services had increased 219 percent in six years prior to 2008, according to state statistics.

A total of 1 in 150 children are expected to be diagnosed with some form of  autism each year, according to the CDC study in 2008.

“I beat myself up when I first found out. I blamed myself,” said Steward, who has a younger daughter who is not autistic.

“My goal is hopefully, someday, let’s find out why these children have it and find a cure for it. That’s what I want,” she said.

Anyone interested in participating in the event may contact Steward at 207-836-2055 or 207-381-7215 or by e-mailing her at [email protected].

More information about autism may be found at www.unlockingautism-me.org.

Registration at L-A Harley-Davidson begins at 8 a.m. with ride time at 9 a.m. The riders and children are expected to return to L-A Harley at about 1 p.m.

“These children are loving and caring and need our help,” she said.

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