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.