By Lauren Young
Staff Writer
Like other six year olds, Lucas Shuba is a “dreamer.” An analytical child with an advanced vocabulary, he likes to watch “Sid the Science Kid” with his mother and aspires to be a scientist when he’s older.
Unlike most six year olds, however, Shuba has autism and ADHD.
As an advocate for autism awareness, the general manager of the Sonic Drive-In in North Syracuse and Lucas’ mother, Heather Shuba, a mother of three sons, decided to give back to a non-profit organization that has helped her and Lucas since the day they entered the center’s waiting room — by starting a biannual fundraiser to support the non-profit at two Sonic Drive-In locations in Central New York.
CNY Quest is a non-profit agency that specializes in supporting and improving the lives of people with developmental or mental disorders for free, through skill-building therapies, life skill development, assessments and treatment.
In an effort to raise awareness and funds for the nonprofit, all day Saturday, Aug. 25, the Sonic Drive-In in DeWitt at 3170 Erie Blvd. E. will be holding its second CNY Quest fundraiser, donating to the non-profit 10 percent of its day sales and 100 percent of its raffle basket proceeds. Also featured will be an advocacy and awareness table outside with four advocates from CNY Quest, as well as Shuba and her son and General Manager Andrew Weick. to offer pamphlets and speak with customers.
After the success of the first fundraiser at the North Syracuse restaurant, Shuba said she hopes the event will raise awareness in the community and inspire others, regardless of abilities or disabilities, to simply “treat others better.”
“The services that they offer are just absolutely incredible”
At four years old, Lucas Shuba was diagnosed with autism, but had about eight different diagnoses before then, including Sensory Processing Disorder, from multiple agencies spanning Syracuse and Rochester.
They were then referred to ADHD & Autism Psychological Services and Advocacy Center (AAPSA) in Syracuse when Luca was five years old. Professionals at the center met with Shuba and Lucas in a series of five visits in five weeks; getting to know Lucas, as opposed to, “just analyzing him for an hour and saying, ‘he’s fine’, or putting a label on him when they don’t really know him,’” said Shuba.
The center then narrowed her son’s diagnosis to level two autism and ADHD.
“I felt very touched having an agency that finally got to know my son before throwing labels on him,” said Shuba. “It resonated with me because over years of having him analyzed, it was all just, ‘let me meet him for a little bit, and he’s ok.’”
The center tested how Lucas recognized emotions, his communication skills, how he analyzed certain situations and even watched him play with his mother to study his mannerisms and clean-up activity.
“It wasn’t about the payments for them. [The sessions] lasted as long as they needed to,” said Shuba. “Everything is so personal.”
Shuba wanted to give back to AAPSA, but didn’t think she could donate as much as she wanted on her own.
She asked if the organization would be interested in Sonic Drive-In holding a fundraiser, and the AAPSA recommended CNY Quest, its sister organization that is a non-profit.
Unlike AAPSA and Aspire Behavioral Solutions, its other sister organization, that both take insurance payments, CNY Quest is a non-profit that provides free services to families, from therapy to career placement for adults living with autism.
“They rely on donations like this, and I know exactly what the money is going toward,” said Shuba. “Being able to personally donate to something that means so much to me and other special needs families who feel like myself means the world to me. The services that they offer are just absolutely incredible.”
After receiving the green light from Cheri Citro, a member of the CNY Quest board of directors, and Sonic Drive-In Franchise Owner Paul Wisnoski, Shuba said she “went crazy” with the fundraiser preparation. Raffle prizes will include everything from Pinterest-inspired raffle baskets and beach bags to a free night’s stay at Holiday Inn Express in Syracuse for the raffle that was donated from a drive-thru customer who noticed their flyer on the window.
The first fundraiser, she said, raised over $1,200.
“We’re hoping the next one will be even bigger,” said Shuba. Her goal for the second fundraiser on Aug. 25 is $2,900, but she hopes to surpass that.
“They’re not meant to fit in any box”
While autism may not be entirely visible, Shuba said misconceptions and social stigmas surrounding it and other developmental and mental disorders are.
From strangers to cashiers and retail workers, Shuba said she and Lucas sometimes endure negative looks or comments from strangers, even in front of other guests and customers.
“Some people judge what they don’t understand,” said Shuba. “What’s wrong with them is really what’s right with them, and what we think is right with us is sometimes what’s wrong with us. Our way of thinking is what really needs to change.”
Societal expectations of what someone can and cannot do with a disability is restrictive, said Shuba, and trying to fit those with developmental or mental disorders into a box is more inhibiting than freeing.
“[People with autism] aren’t meant to fit in our box — but everybody doesn’t fit into a box,” said Shuba. “If we [were] none of our houses would have peaked rooftops. That’s exactly what I want people to think. Not just with autism, ADHD, Down Syndrome or Tourette’s — I want them to think that way about every individual.”
And because Lucas’ autism and ADHD isn’t “visible,” Shuba said people don’t understand that he has the disorders.
“Not every developmental or mental disorder is visible. [Lucas] looks fine, but sometimes when he has a meltdown because the lights are too bright or varying sounds upset him…people look at him like he’s bad,” said Shuba. “I think a major misconception is, especially with something that’s not visible, is that people often think that they’re a ‘bad kid,’ that they’re misbehaving. There’s a difference between a meltdown and a tantrum, because my son is not having a tantrum. If it looks like he’s giving me a hard time, the truth is that he’s having a hard time.”
Like his mother, seven-year-old Justin is also an advocate for Lucas, informing strangers that stare at his younger brother that Lucas “doesn’t respond to situations like they do.”
Shuba said autism is often presented by what those with the disorder lack instead of what they possess.
“[Adults with autism] have very thriving lives; they date, marry and hold jobs just like the rest of us,” she said.
For example, Lucas, she said, is “very high-functioning, verbal and very analytical.” And, even at six years old he already has life goals, like being a scientist when he’s older.
“He’s an analyzer, he analyzes every situation. He’s incredibly smart,” she said.
Helping others, Shuba said, is the root of her existence, and is the reason she enjoys being a manager at Sonic Drive-In.
“If there’s anything I can do in my life, it’s to change the lives of others — that’s honestly why I’m a manager,” said Shuba, who has been with the company for 10 years. “I always told myself that when I take over a store I will use my store to change other people’s lives — and this was my first step.”
Every summer, Shuba said they will be holding two fundraisers at both the North Syracuse and DeWitt Sonic Drive-In locations to raise awareness for CNY Quest and the developmental and mental disorders they support.
For more information about AAPSA, Aspire Behavioral Solutions and CNY Quest, visit its website at aapsa.net.
