March 26, 2008
South Oldham High junior is pre-selling autism awareness license plates
S. Oldham teen sells plates to assist autism research
By Melissa Gagliardi
After seeing license plates that promote breast-cancer awareness, Natalie Pope decided she wanted to create one to draw attention to autism, which has affected her family since her brother Austin was diagnosed 14 years ago.
Natalie, a 17-year-old junior at South Oldham High School, is spearheading the effort in part to earn her Girl Scout Gold Award -- the highest recognition a teen Girl Scout can achieve.
But her true goal is to help find a cure for the disorder.
The license plates, which feature bold, colorful puzzle pieces -- the national symbol for autism -- would be a statement about the number of people affected by autism, Natalie said, adding that they would also serve as a symbol within the autism community.
"It would be a unifying force so they know they're not alone," Natalie said.
To get the license plates made, Natalie has to pre-sell 900 for $28 each. So far, she has sold 700 and feels well on her way to reaching her goal.
She has attended conferences, sent e-mails and developed a Web site, to promote her project. And next month, as part of Autism Awareness month, she will speak at an event in Carroll County and try to pre-sell more plates.
Natalie lives in Crestwood with her parents, Craig and Janet Pope, brother Austin, 16, and sister Laura, 10.
Janet Pope recalls how devastating it was to learn of Austin's disorder. She said her son was a typical child until he reached about 18 months and withdrew. She said he hardly interacted with Natalie for years.
But Natalie said she loves him just as he is.
"To me, he's my brother -- I don't really see anything different. It's just always been part of my life," she said.
However, she acknowledges there are difficulties that come with the disorder. For example, Austin can't be left alone, and he must follow a special diet.
Janet Pope said she's proud of her daughter's efforts to help the autism community. She said if they lived in another state, her daughter would have already sold enough plates. For example, in Indiana, only 350 pre-sales are needed to have a specialty plate made.
"We have by far the highest requirement to have a specialty plate made," Janet Pope said. "We're trying to figure out how to get the last 200 to get this plate into production."
It took just a little more than a year to get to the 700 mark, thanks in part to help from a local pediatrician who donated $2,000 around Christmastime. "That was a huge push," she said.
While there is no deadline for reaching her goal of 900 license plates, Natalie said she would like to see the plates produced by the time she graduates from high school.
Natalie has been in Scouting for 11 years and said it has helped broaden her horizons.
"The Girl Scouts has been amazing for me," she said. "It's helped to find all these new experiences and opportunities that I never would have come across."
She is a member of the Girl Scout press corps and holds girl-member status on the board of directors for the Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana, attending meetings every other month.
The Girl Scouts, along with support from a group called Families for Effective Autism Treatment, have also helped in her efforts to raise awareness about autism.
"It has been part of my life," she said. "This is something I thought I could do and something that could make a difference."
Reporter Melissa Gagliardi can be reached at (502) 582-4117.
COVER PHOTO: Natalie Pope and her mother, Janet Pope, looked at an image of the license plate.
UPDATE: As of April 2, 2008, the project is complete. The IPA Foundation, the UPS pilots’ charitable organization, donated $ 5600.00 to purchase the remaining 195 plates needed to reach 900. Plates will be available at local DMV’s in 2-3 months. Check this site for updates on the production status.