Cancelled for 2015

The Fragile X Association of Utah has regretfully decided to cancel this year's annual Parade of Pumpkins. Sorry to disappoint our fans, but it is getting bigger than our small leadership group can handle. We'll try to be awesome and bring it back another year.

We do have a new website for our FXAU at www.fragilexutah.com

If you still want to donate to the Fragile X Association of Utah you can join our Virtual 5K by checking out this link:

https://www.crowdrise.com/fxaulek15
Please share the heck out of this link and get your friends and family involved.

Sincerely,
Rachael Gibson
Leader Fragile X Association of Utah

Make and Donate a Display!

This is the Parade of Pumpkins but that doesn't mean you have to ONLY do pumpkins.
Imagine it is the Festival of Trees only at Halloween -- that is the Parade of Pumpkins. Come see original Halloween Pumpkin and/or Haunted Gingerbread House Displays that have been donated to be auctioned or sold for your Halloween Decor Dreams.

You can carve, paint, embellish or make a pumpkin. You can create a Haunted Gingerbread House to be displayed separate or with a pumpkin. Add fall fun and decor to make your display even more intriguing. Be creative and have a blast with your ideas.

There are limited spaces for Pumpkin Displays. If you yourself, or a group you are involved in want to donate a Parade of Pumpkins Display please email Rachael at centralut (at) fragilx (dot) org

In your email please include the following information:

1. Name of person, Association or Group donating
2. Estimated area/size of your pumpkin or haunted gingerbread house display
3. Power outlet needed or self powered (battery)
4. Theme or story about the display
5. How you heard about the Parade of Pumpkins
6. Your email address or phone number so that we can contact you with any other information or questions for your display

You cannot utilize candles in your display so if you need lighting use battery powered lights to display or a power chord. All parts of the display will be donated along with the display at the auction. If there is an item that is not able to be donated with the display that will need to be specified. Also, if any power cords are needed to power lights or anything else of that sort please specify that in your email so we can make arrangements.

Please have your Display set up by 9:00 am October 25th. We will be there at 6:00 a.m. for you to start setting up your display.

The Parade starts at 11:00 am and ends at 6:00 pm the same day.

If you need any ideas to get your creative juices flowing you can check out
 this link on Pinterest.

Keep up with us on Facebook!

Fragile What?

"What is Fragile X?" you ask.

Here is the answer, straight from the National Fragile X Foundation Website:

Fragile X Syndrome

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a genetic condition that causes intellectual disability, behavioral and learning challenges and various physical characteristics. Though FXS occurs in both genders, males are more frequently affected than females, and generally with greater severity.

Features of Fragile X Syndrome in Males

• The majority of males with fragile X syndrome demonstrate significant intellectual disability (formerly referred to as “mental retardation”). Disabilities in FXS include a range from moderate learning disabilities to more severe intellectual disabilities.
• Physical features may include large ears, long face, soft skin and large testicles (called “macroorchidism”) in post-pubertal males. Connective tissue problems may include ear infections, flat feet, high arched palate, double-jointed fingers and hyper-flexible joints.
• Behavioral characteristics can include ADD, ADHD, autism and autistic behaviors, social anxiety, hand-biting and/or flapping, poor eye contact, sensory disorders and increased risk for aggression.
• No one individual will have all the features of FXS, and some features, such as a long face and macroorchidism, are more common after puberty.

Features of Fragile X Syndrome in Females

• The characteristics seen in males can also be seen in females, though females often have milder intellectual disability and a milder presentation of the syndrome’s behavioral and physical features.
• About one-third of females with FXS have a significant intellectual disability.
• Others may have moderate or mild learning disabilities, emotional/mental health issues, general anxiety and/or social anxiety.
• A small percentage of females who have the full mutation of the FMR1 Gene that causes FXS will have no apparent signs of the condition—intellectual, behavioral or physical. These females are often identified only after another family member has been diagnosed.

If you want to know more about Fragile X Syndrome you can check out the National Fragile X Website and you can see what the Fragile X Association of Utah has done for those affected by Fragile X here in Utah by checking out our blog.

Funds raised for the FXAU will go toward providing more opportunities for our families affected by Fragile X Syndrome.

Location, location, location!

The Fragile X Association of Utah's Parade of Pumpkins will be held at the

Sandra N. Lloyd Community Center, 1280 S. 1700 W.

RIVERTON, UT

October 25, 2014

11:00 am - 6:00 pm

Please see information on tabs above if you are interested in donating to the Parade of Pumpkins.

Interested in donating a display?

This is the Parade of Pumpkins but that doesn't mean you have to ONLY do pumpkins.
Imagine it is the Festival of Trees only at Halloween -- that is the Parade of Pumpkins. Come see original Halloween Pumpkin and/or Haunted Gingerbread House Displays that have been donated to be auctioned or sold for your Halloween Decor Dreams.

You can carve, paint, embellish or make a pumpkin. You can create a Haunted Gingerbread House to be displayed separate or with a pumpkin. Add fall fun and decor to make your display even more intriguing. Be creative and have a blast with your ideas.

There are limited spaces for Pumpkin Displays. If you yourself, or a group you are involved in want to donate a Parade of Pumpkins Display please email Rachael at centralut (at) fragilex (dot) org

In your email please include the following information:

1. Name of person, Association or Group donating
2. Estimated area/size of your pumpkin or haunted gingerbread house display
3. Power outlet needed or self powered (battery)
4. Theme or story about the display
5. How you heard about the Parade of Pumpkins
6. Your email address or phone number so that we can contact you with any other information or questions for your display

You cannot utilize candles in your display so if you need lighting use battery powered lights to display or a power chord. All parts of the display will be donated along with the display at the auction. If there is an item that is not able to be donated with the display that will need to be specified. Also, if any power cords are needed to power lights or anything else of that sort please specify that in your email so we can make arrangements.

Please have your Display set up by 9:00 am Saturday. We will be there at 6am for you to start setting up your display.

The Parade starts at 11:00 am and ends at 6:00 pm the same day.

If you need any ideas to get your creative juices flowing you can check out this link on Pinterest.

Get ready for POP 2014

2014 will be bigger and better than 2012 or 2013 
so start planning your pumpkin display now!

More Pumpkins!

Bigger displays! 
(Including haunted ginger bread houses)

More of Aaron Reimschiissel, the Master Pumpkin Carver!

Entertainment!

Fun!

Trophies for the best pumpkins!

Prepare to support the Fragile X Association of Utah and their families affected by Fragile X.

Don't know much about Fragile X?

You can learn more about it at The National Fragile X Foundation Website.

Or you can read about a family right here in Utah who deal with Fragile X Syndrome everyday in their 3 precious children who all have Fragile X Syndrome at "Our Life."

If you want to follow the Fragile X Parade of Pumpkins on Facebook book you can like us here.

Approximately 100,000 individuals in the United States have fragile X syndrome, many of them undiagnosed. More than 1 million people have or are at risk of developing a Fragile X-associated Disorder.

Participating in this event will not only raise funds for the Fragile X Association of Utah, but will also raise awareness.

Imagine it as the Festival of Trees only at Halloween -- that is the Parade of Pumpkins. Come see original Halloween Pumpkin and/or Haunted Gingerbread House Displays that have been donated  to be auctioned off for your Halloween Decor Dreams.

You can donate a Pumpkin Display or you can save up your money to purchase one where all the money will go to the Fragile X Association of Utah.

You can also vote for your favorite pumpkins and there will be prizes for the top three winners in the Parade.

You will also have a chance to get your face painted, enjoy some Autumn Treats and see The Master Pumpkin Carver, Aaron Reimschiissel's amazing carvings that will astound you.

Entrance fee for the Parade of Pumpkins is $1 per person or $5 per family, but any amount of a donation is gladly accepted.

This will be a lot of fun and will hopefully become a great tradition each year for you and your families.

Many thanks for your support -- and don't forget to forward this to anyone who you think might want to donate too!

All proceeds will go to The Fragile X Association of Utah.