West Georgia Autism Foundation presents ‘Concert on the Farm’

Courtesy of Stephanie Allen and the Times-Georgian

(Carroll County, GA) — The West Georgia Autism Foundation is holding a fundraiser, Concert on the Farm, to raise money to buy custom bicycles for children with autism.

The money raised will go toward a fund intended to give custom bicycles to children who are on the middle to lower end of the autism spectrum.

Each child with autism has different needs, therefore the bicycles must be tailored to those needs, including having such features as special cushioning, a backrest or a third wheel with a focus on assisting autistic children in becoming more independent and mobile.

Perpetual Motion Bicycles in Carrollton will work with its supplier to help the Foundation purchase these bicycles. The cost for one bicycle can range from $600 to $2,500, depending on its customization.

Some of the bicycles will be on display at Concert on the Farm.

The event, which will take place on Saturday, Sept. 14, at The McWhorter Farm, 1487 Black Dirt Road in Whitesburg, will feature a 10-piece band — The Tyn Tymes Band — a dance floor, food, drinks and three big-screen televisions for sports lovers to watch college football.

West Georgia Autism Foundation President Jason Swindle, right, fundraising chair Linda McWhorter and Perpetual Motion Bicycles owner stand with one of custom made bikes that the West Georgia Autism Foundation is offering to people through the bike shop. (Photo: Jay Luzardo/Times-Georgian)

Individual tickets are $75 and tickets for tables of eight are $750. The event has offered sponsorship opportunities that range from $1,000 to $5,000.

A letter sent out by the Foundation said that Sen. Mike Dugan, majority leader in the state Senate, is expected to attend, as well almost all the west Georgia legislative delegation and Carroll County Sheriff Terry Langley.

“Bringing awareness to our representatives and to the executives, that’s important too because it helps legislation that helps autistic people,” noted Jason Swindle, president of the Foundation.

Swindle is a criminal defense attorney in Carrollton and a father of a child with autism, Jake. He started the organization in 2017 after he saw how local children with autism did not have the same resources he could provide for his own son.

Linda McWhorter, whose farm at NG Turf in Whitesburg, is hosting the event, joined the organization in late 2018 as the fundraising chair.

The night will begin at 5 p.m. Happy hour will start at 6 p.m. and food will be served an hour thereafter. Swindle and McWhorter said they plan for this event to be more informal than the Snow Ball fundraiser they held this past January.

The Snow Ball fundraiser raised over $70,000 for the Foundation, but Swindle and McWhorter said they expect Concert on the Farm to raise less due to its informal nature. They estimated that the Foundation has raised around $25,000 for Concert on the Farm, as of this week.

“I think it’s going to be a fun night and I think it’s going to bring a lot of awareness to people about autism and what autism is,” McWhorter said.