April is Autism Awareness Month, and awareness is being raised all month long here in the Mohawk Valley.

On Saturday more than 800 people took part in the Walk for Autism on the campus of SUNY POLY in Marcy.  It's the first of five such walks during April here in our area and it may be the biggest one ever here in the Mohawk Valley.

Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente attended Saturday's event and was surprised by the turnout, "When I pulled in it was amazing to see just the number of people that came out on a cold, spring day, but nonetheless a cold day.”

Picente says he didn't come out just because he is the leader of this county, but because he also has family members and friends who have loved ones who have benefitted from the many programs The Kelberman Center offers right here at home in Utica.

Also in attendance on Saturday, a number of folks with 'Team Juliannah' printed on their tee shirts.

Juliannah is a six year old from Oriskany who has been attending a program at The Kelberman Center for about a year.

Her dad, Robert Eychner, says he has seen progress in his daughter in just one year, "I've seen a lot of improvements with her.  Since she's been in this program it's built a strong foundation for her, it's helped her, it's given her different guidelines that normal teachers and schooling doesn't really touch on, which is very nice.”

Robert and his wife Caitlin say they are lucky to have such a state of the art resource right here at home.

All of the money raised on Saturday will be used to support t he many programs the Kelberman Center offers both children and adults here in the Utica area.

There was also a Walk for Autism in Boonville on Saturday.  Next weekend there are walks in Oneida and Cooperstown and in two weeks there will be one final walk, this time at Hamilton College in Clinton.

[video width="320" height="240" mp4="http://sunypoly.edu/apps/blogs/news/files/2016/04/WKTV-2016-Walk-for-Autism-4.9.16.mp4"][/video]