Jordan raising awareness during trip with his son

For the third year in a row, Bill Jordan, of Ironton, will spend the better part of Saturday riding with his son.
“The goal is to raise awareness of autism and acceptance of those with autism,” Jordan said. “There are so many people that have autism in our county and not everyone accepts them. They’re an outcast.”

Jordan’s 12-year-old son, Allen, was diagnosed with autism when he was just three years old.

“People with autism are lovable and sharp as a tack,” Jordan said, adding he is not raising donations. “I’m just trying to raise awareness and acceptance through our rides. I just donate my time for the kids. I see how people treat my son and the other kids in our group. I do it because God leads me to do it. The children have to have something to look up to.”

They are part of the Autism Project of Lawrence County, Ohio, a support and advocacy group for kids.

The Jordans will leave Coal Grove’s Paul Porter Park in a side-by-side ATV around 9 a.m. to head up to Gallipolis, spend some time in the park there, then come back to Ironton, which will amount to about six hours and cover 180 or so miles. The ATV will be easy to spot since they will be flying the American flag and the autism flag.

“And I will be making Allen wear a helmet during the ride,” Jordan said. “It is a lot of fun for the kids in the group. They kind of look forward to see what I am driving every year.”

Jordan will be escorted by two support vehicles; one driven by his wife, Susan, and one by a man with a truck and a trailer, in case the ATV has some kind of mechanical trouble.

“I wish I could get more people involved,” Jordan said. “The more the merrier.”

The Autism Project of Lawrence County, Ohio meets at 6 p.m. on the first Monday of the month at the Centenary Independent Church, on State Route 243 in Ironton.