On Tuesday, Feb. 1, the Polk County/Foothills Area Parent Support Group will host a special event for siblings of those on the autism spectrum. The program will take place at the Polk County Public Library in Columbus at 6 p.m.

Jean Alvarez from the North Carolina Autism Society in Asheville will present a program discussing the basics of autism and aspergers to siblings ages 7 and up. Each sibling will also be given an opportunity to share their experiences with living with someone on the autism spectrum… both the challenges and the joys.

The goal of the program is to give siblings the opportunity to have a greater understanding of autism and let them know they are not alone. They, too, have a voice and their own challenges in living with someone on the autism spectrum.

Alvarez will be on hand to give tips and strategies they might want to incorporate while communicating with their family members.

Parents will meet in a separate location at the library to talk and network and to allow for the “siblings” to express themselves freely.

The Polk County/Foothills Area Parent Support Group is sponsored by the Autism Society of North Carolina. Each meeting offers an educational focus in addition to support for one another.

Local educators are also attending the meetings to get tips and strategies they can use in their classrooms and school environments.

The group meets the first Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. at the Polk County Public Library. Future topics include summer camp, disability rights and social group options for children ages 18 and up.

For information regarding the parent support group or the sibling workshop (registration is not required, but is suggested), contact Tracey Daniels at tracey@mmpublicity.com. Put “support group” in the subject line.