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Lila Barry will be among this year's receipiants of the 2008 New Brunswick Family and Community Volunteer Award. The awards will be presented by Social Development Minister Mary Schryer during a special ceremony on Saturday, April 26 in Beresford.

Lila Barry

"The Family and Community Volunteer Awards aims at recognizing and celebrating volunteer contributions to the well-being of families and communities all over New Brunswick," Schryer said.

The New Brunswick Family and Community Volunteer Awards has four categories: youth, adult, senior, and organization. Winners in each of the four categories will present $1,000 to a non-profit organization of their choice provided by the Department of Social Development.

Here is a short biography for Barry:

Lila Barry - Adult Category

Lila Barry of Miramichi has worked tirelessly to help individuals and families affected by autism. She has advocated for change provincially and nationally over the last few years, recently stepping down as president of the Autism Society New Brunswick. She was active in lobbying the provincial government for teacher's assistants to be trained specifically with autism in the school system, and instrumental in the establishment of the Autism Resource Center in Miramichi. Even with all this work, she has always responded to phone calls or requests from parents seeking support or guidance upon learning their child has been diagnosed with autism. Her commitment is described best by one parents's testimonial: "I learned so much from her and was so touched by her kindness to educate and support me… perhaps someday I will touch someone's life like she touched mine".

Barry has chosen the Autism Resource Center Miramichi to receive $1,000.