CANFIELD, Ohio – For hundreds of families affected by autism in the Mahoning Valley, the annual Mahoning Valley Warrior event is more than just a fundraiser — it’s a day of connection, understanding and celebration.
“It’s an event to celebrate all those differences and celebrate the families who are dealing with struggles, who are celebrating those differences,” said Stacie Bacorn, executive director of the Autism Society of Mahoning Valley. “It’s that event that gives those families an opportunity to come together, and that is what makes Mahoning Valley Warrior so special.”
This year’s event will take place Saturday, May 31, at the Canfield Fairgrounds. The event features a 5K, autism family walk, strongman competition, kids carnival, special needs resource fair and food trucks. It is expected to draw more than 500 attendees.
The event is the largest gathering for autism families in the region and serves as the Autism Society’s primary fundraiser. “This is what helps fuel everything that we are able to do. This is what helps fund our programming,” Bacorn said.
Founded by local families in 1989, the Autism Society of Mahoning Valley is an affiliate of the Autism Society of America. It serves individuals and families in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties, providing information, referrals and programs for individuals with autism across their lifespan.
“There are many organizations within the Mahoning Valley that have a very specific focus,” Bacorn said. “We are more of that broad umbrella that is able to help know all of the different resources.”
Robin Suzelis, the organization’s information and referral director, said the event’s impact extends far beyond the fairgrounds. “So many of [the parents] don’t know of another family with an autistic child,” she said. “And so when you bring together all these families, they’re sharing their connection.”
Suzelis described the sight of hundreds of families participating in the autism walk as one of the event’s most powerful moments. “It’s hundreds of families walking for the autism walk, and it takes them so long to just hit the beginning,” she said.
The Warrior event has evolved significantly over time. Suzelis said her family originally launched the event as a small 5K fundraiser in Austintown more than a decade ago. After a few years, it was turned over to the Autism Society, where it grew to include a walk, kids fun run and, later, a full warrior competition with strength-based challenges. The Canfield Fairgrounds became its home in 2019.
For families, the event offers something rare — a judgment-free space where they can feel understood and supported.
“When we have an event that celebrates those families that typically get embarrassed to go out in public, sometimes because they might have someone that’s making a noise that other people aren’t used to, or you’re getting a look — this is somewhere you don’t have to worry about getting a look,” Bacorn said. “You do not have to apologize for being who your family is. This is where you can always be who you are.”
Bacorn, who is the first full-time executive director in the organization’s history, is also a parent of an autistic teenager. She says her personal experience shapes her work and her dedication to the community.
“I can remember when we received her autism diagnosis, I was handed a half sheet of paper, and that was it, and we weren’t given a lot of resources. And I had so many questions that went through my head,” she said. “So my biggest piece of advice for anyone who just receives a diagnosis is, do not be afraid to ask the questions, and do not be afraid to advocate for your child.”
Suzelis, who is also a parent of two children with autism, said those feelings of isolation are all too familiar. “We have so many families that they don’t go out to restaurants. They can’t even go to Walmart to shop. They can’t do those things. We were one of those families,” she said.
The Autism Society offers a wide range of programs year-round, including Camp Friend, a summer camp for neurotypical and neurodivergent children; the Social Connections program to build social skills in a safe environment; and monthly family outings. “We help make sure that anybody that calls into us or messages or outreaches to us, that we are able to know and provide any information that we can,” Bacorn said.
To participate in the Warrior event, community members can register online or sign up on the day of the event. Registration for the 5K will begin at 8 a.m.
“We encourage anyone who wants to celebrate autism, celebrate those families, celebrate the struggles, celebrate the wins, celebrate all those little things that help make those big things a reality,” Bacorn said.
Pictured at top: Stacie Bacorn, executive director of the Autism Society of the Mahoning Valley, and Robin Suzelis, information and referral director.