A special needs diagnosis for a child can make parents feel hopeless, helpless and lost.
That was certainly the case for Whitney Ferguson when she first learned that her son, Myers “Rowdy” Ferguson who is now 7 years old, has autism. She didn’t know where to go or what the next steps were. Eventually she found resources for Myers in the area, Whitney told the Rotary Club of Columbus on Tuesday at Lion Hills Center.
“The Rowdy Foundation was founded on that initial feeling of hopelessness,” Whitney said. “As parents we have no idea where to turn, what to do or how we could help Rowdy. That’s about as low as you can feel as a parent.”
Whitney and her husband Scott co-founded the nonprofit Rowdy Foundation to help raise money for autism services in the Golden Triangle, such as the T.K. Martin Center in Starkville and Golden Triangle Autism Center in West Point. Eventually the couple began holding events for children with and without special needs that allow them to socialize and interact on their own terms through the foundation.
Such events are the Rowdy Races held in the fall at the Roger Short Soccer Complex, sensory Saturday events with other local organizations that allow opportunities to learn new and fun sensory activities and movie events that provide sensory-friendly movie viewings.
One event, the Get Rowdy for Autism Golf Tournament, helped the Fergusons raise $26,000 in April 2021 for Golden Triangle Autism Center, which allowed the center to purchase needed equipment and a part-time summer instructor, Whitney said.
The Fergusons created a website for their organization, getrowdy.org, that lists resources for parents. Those resources include links to diagnostic assessments in Mississippi, applied behavior analysis therapy centers, public schools, local programs to check out and more.
They also created a support group for parents that meets at the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library.
“When I was going through the initial steps, I didn’t know who to reach out to or who to talk to,” Whitney said. “A lot of people have reached out to me and said it has made a big difference having a network of parents.”
Whitney told The Dispatch getting Myers involved in activities with other children helped to eventually get him to where he is now – in a traditional classroom getting prepared for the second grade.
“Over time I learned that (Myers) needed to experience the world, and if we didn’t give him that opportunity then he would never be able to do it,” Whitney said. “I’ve slowly learned that it doesn’t matter what other people think, and we’re going to live our life the way that’s best for us.”
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You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 32 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
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