Local family starts exercise program for kids with Autism

(PUEBLO, Colo.) — One Southern Colorado family is making a difference. They started the local nonprofit organization “Autism Mana,” to help kids with autism exercise and find a sense of community.

April is Autism Awareness Month, and the Blunt family began their nonprofit Autism Mana when they noticed a lack of resources for kids with Autism.

Eleven-year-old Makai is nonverbal with autism, in Hawaiian his name means “ocean.”

“We continue to advocate for him, and kids like him. We ended up realizing that there were no activities for autistic and special needs children in southern Colorado,” said Kevin Blunt, founder of Autism Mana and Makai’s father.

The Blunt family is originally from Hawaii but grew frustrated with a lack of resources for their son. The family of five decided to move to Colorado Springs in 2020 hoping for more—and noticed the closest recourses were in Denver.

“I participated in a similar program back in Hawaii,” Blunt said. “That program has since shuttered. but after seeing the positive effects of exercise or a recreational program for these kids, I wanted to create something here in our new home for all of the kids in southern Colorado.”

That’s when they knew it was time to make a change and began their organization, Autism Mana.

“The kids come out every Saturday morning and for an hour we go through a whole series of different workouts. And the good thing about it is being almost like a CrossFit or like a high-intensity interval training,” he said.

It’s a semiannual 10-week-long exercise program that caters to kids with autism. When they lived in Hawaii, Makai found comfort in surf therapy. Once they moved to southern Colorado, they knew they needed to find another outlet for him.

“As long as we can remember, he’s been a fish. He’s going to play with water, whether it’s a puddle, a water balloon, a hose, or anything,” said Blunt.

Each summer they set up a pool in their backyard for him and say he will spend up to ten hours swimming each day.

“He loves water and a lot of people don’t even realize how therapeutic water is from a sensory standpoint. For kids like him on the spectrum,” added Blunt.

The class offers more than safe workout exercises, it gives the kids an opportunity to make friends and offers parents a sense of community.

While the program is growing, the family is asking for additional support to help fund the courses. The program participated in activities year-round, however, the next ten-week course will begin next March.

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