# 'Agricultural specialisterne': rural employment revolution for those with Autism **URL:** \ **Category:** Lounge\ **Created:** [June 5, 2011, 5:40am UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/agricultural-specialisterne-rural-employment-revolution-for-those-with-autism/50615 "2011-06-05T05:40:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 369
**Author:** ![Visionary7903](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/45deac/32.png) [@Visionary7903](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/Visionary7903)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2013, 3:03pm UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/agricultural-specialisterne-rural-employment-revolution-for-those-with-autism/50615/369 "2013-01-07T15:03:40Z")
My last two posts have focused on surfing-related nonprofits and Autism. Another such nonprofit is the South Florida-based _Surfers for Autism_–which holds events as far north as Daytona Beach. The organisation is in its fifth year of staging surfing events to benefit children on the Autism Spectrum and their families… > [@](#): > > …About 50 children, ages 7 to 12, got the surfing basics on the sand before paddling out and belly-riding the colorful foam surfboards over knee-high waves. > > “Some of these kids have never touched a surfboard before. We had six who stood up and rode it all the way into the sand,” said Lou Rodas [founder of _Surfers of Autism_] > > “I knew the effect that water had on my brother,” said Rodas, a lifelong surfer whose …autistic brother lives in San Diego. “When autistic kids are in the water, they don’t have to focus on anything else. It’s very soothing and calming.” > > …“They take to it right away,” said Don Ryan …an event volunteer from Boca Raton and a competitive surfer for 34 years. “It absolutely works; we don’t know why. They’re out there with the elements: the smell of the ocean; the taste of the salt; the sound of the waves; the buoyancy of being in the water. We have some families who are watching their children surfing and they can’t believe it.” > > …The surfers, who collected donations, sold T-shirts and raffled off prizes, will present a check Saturday to Autism Speaks… Here is a link to a video on _Surfers for Autism_: [Surfers for Autism - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFc8ZU2afiE) (source: [Autistic children learn ‘language of movement’ - Sun Sentinel](http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2008-04-06/news/0804050280_1_surf-schools-surfing-event-autistic-children)) --- _[View the full topic](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/agricultural-specialisterne-rural-employment-revolution-for-those-with-autism/50615)._