The Christmas season for families with autistic children is being ushered in with a ray of hope.

On Friday, Nov. 21, at 6:30 p.m. at the Provo Tabernacle, BYU A Cappella group Noteworthy and the Utah Valley Handbell Ringers will be the featured performers at the charity concert that will benefit the Giant Steps School, a school for autistic children.

Tickets to the event are $10 for adults age 12 and up, $5 for those ages 3-11, $7 for students with Id, $25 for families with up to three children and children two and under are free.

Suzanne Stephens, a clinical social worker at Giant Steps, said this school fills a vital need for families with autistic children.

"Our program serves children educationally and helps with behavioral issues," Stephens said. "I see how our program helps the families. They struggle a lot of times with behavioral problems. We try to help the children to be able to tolerate things they normally would not have been able to and participate in more typical behaviors."

Stephens said she draws joy from seeing how much the children learn academically and socially.

The Friends of Giant Steps is the parent organization within the school. Their role is to help provide opportunities to the students that normally would not be available.

"We are limited in what we can do," Stephens said. "The parents have bought us some things that we need and have provided the means for opportunities like more field trips and hands on learning experiences."

Karen Eskew-Wyllie is the Director for the Utah Valley Handbell Ringers. She said the group accepted the invitation to perform at this charity concert because they felt like it is a good cause. The autistic children will be participants in part of the program.

"Some of the autistic children will come up and ring with us," Eskew-Wyllie said. "We have some very easy music we think they could do and we'll show them how to ring."

The Handbell Ringers play a variety of music. This concert will feature songs including "Sleigh Ride," and "Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer" as well as selections from "The Nutcracker."

"We do a lot of fun stuff, not just strictly Christmas Carols" Eskew-Wyllie said.

Linda Chahal is a performer in the Handbell Ringers. She has been involved with the group for 15 years.

"I have been involved for so long because I love Handbell music and I like to share it with other people," Chahal said.

Copyright Brigham Young University 20 Nov 2008