It started 18 years old, in 2007. Autism Walk Northland is a community walk event that helps raise awareness and funds for people on the Autism spectrum. Two moms started the walk, and it has grown to where teams of family and friends attend the walk each April, supporting the important cause. The walk went from 11am to roughly 2pm. Families walked laps above kids playing with a variety of toys in the gym.

The walks focus on the awareness with funds helping pay for things that schools and other programs do not typically buy, often being things that are not known the kids need. Examples are fidgets, laptops, and curriculum. Walks used to be held outside but have been moved indoors. This year using Hermantown High School’s gym.

One of the co-organizers, whose son was diagnosed when she joined. Katie Godden celebrated the space these walks create. “Just having a place where he can go and where other people can go and actually be themselves and have fun, no judgment, and be with other people like themselves is huge.”

The funds raised by the event are donated to the individual teams that participate. Katie said they raised “about $200,000 in our 18 years. That 100% of that went back to the community, went back to the schools, and we’re able to help our kids.” Multiple team shirts are often seen at the event to celebrate and support family members with autism. One example is Team Eman. Dore Haala spoke about how her family all came together to support her grandson Easton. He was diagnosed when he was two years old.

“This is just to honor him and all the other kids and people that are struggling with this,” Dore said. “But there’s so many programs and so much help out there that it’s nice to give back.” Her children and their families all donned team shirts and walked around the gym’s upper level to support Easten. She said that she was sad to find out this was the walk’s final year.

End of Autism Walk Northland

Under the name of Autism Walk Northland, this event has reached its final year. Many of the attendees this year are sad to see it go and wish for it to continue in some way.

Katie gave an explanation as to why the walk was ending in 2025. “It was a very small walk. And then their numbers grew to over 600 at one time, volunteers and walkers,” she said. “And then when COVID hit, we saw a huge decline. We just, and we just can’t get back up to where we need to be. [The time commitment] and the donations just aren’t coming in.”

The sense of community and family that these walks were looked at fondly, and the co-organizers are just as sad to see the walk end. Katie mentioned that someone could talk over the walk or continue under a new name, but their chapter has come to an end. More info and ways to contact the team can be found on their website or Facebook.