For 14-year-old Lucas Lormand, helping to raise funds for Camp Jigsaw in Starkville seemed like the logical thing to do.
Camp Jigsaw is a free camp for adolescent boys between the ages of 13 and 18 who are on the autism spectrum.
Lucas, who was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome — a high-functioning form of autism — when he was 10, attended Camp Jigsaw for the first time last year, according to his grandmother Cindy Brown.
“It helps with their socialization. That’s the biggest challenge that these boys have, their socialization,” she said.
While at the camp, Brown said, the boys enjoy bowling, swimming and a talent show.
Last year, she said, the camp had a “Star Wars” theme. Lucas, who played “Star Wars” character Kylo Ren, was named the camp’s “Biggest Star Wars Fan.”
Although there are other fundraisers going on, she said, “We came up with this idea together. We were trying to think of ways we could raise money for the camp.”
On Friday afternoon, the cookie and lemonade stand, located at Brown’s home on West Barton Avenue, netted $188.35 for the camp.
Camp Jigsaw is scheduled for the last full week of June. Brown said Lucas, the son of Karen Blackburn, has already sent in his paperwork for this year’s camp.
“He’s ready to go,” Brown said.
Helping in the cookie stand operation was Lucas’ good friend, Jacob Swilley, 12.
Although Lucas lives in Greenwood, he attends Grenada Middle School, which offers more programs for students with autism, Brown said.
Swilley attends Bankston Elementary School.
Brown, a legal secretary, said she had help with the stand. “I have a friend, Amy Osborn, she gave us a big tub of lemonade mix, she also made some cookies,” Brown said.
Lucas charged $1 for a cup of lemonade and a bag of two or three cookies.
Swilley often acted as the runner, taking cookies to people in their vehicles.
Brown said she posted the cookie stand on her Facebook page and that likely brought more traffic than it would have received otherwise.
Asked if he was happy with the success of the cookie stand, Lucas replied in typical teenager fashion and replied, “Yeah.”
Donations for Camp Jigsaw may be mailed to Dr. Sandy Devlin, 577 S. Lake Road, Starkville, Miss. 39759.
• Contact Bob Darden at 581-7239 or bdarden@gwcommonwealth.com.
