About Big T's Buddies

All About Big T's Buddies Autism Support Network 

Big T's Buddies is an organization a few others and I started in the summer of 2010 out of desperation. I felt so alone with my son's diagnosis, and I didn't know anyone around our area that was going through the same thing as we were. So here's a little background on how we got started and how we got named:

My father, Terry Lair, know to the world as "Big T", passed away suddenly in January of 2010. Daddy was a HUGE part of JB's life--Grandaddy was his absolute favorite person ever. They played all the time, and it seemed like Daddy was the only person who could truly relate to JB. When we went to Nana and Grandaddy's house, if Grandaddy was still at work or gone on a hunting trip, JB would sit in his chair like he was waiting on him. It was awesome and so cute. But when we lost my dad, it was like we lost a little part of JB too. He's yet to relate to anyone like he did to Daddy--Butch is a very close 2nd, but I still don't see the complete magic that was there with Daddy.
We would go to Momma's house and he would sit in that chair and look out the window and look around at us like "hey y'all, what gives? Where is he?". And it broke my heart. And even now when we go to Momma's, even though it is a different house, he still goes right to that chair. It makes me smile now.

Before Daddy died, he and I and a few friends had been talking about doing some kind of benefit to raise money for autism.

Daddy was a huge BBQ cook--my brother Wade and I were drug to went to all kinds of cook-offs growing up and into our adult years. (The pic to the left shows all of us who were part of the cooking teams over the years.) He cooked for lots of people around town and would cook for any kind of local benefit--especially if it was for kids. So naturally, he wanted to cook and raise money, but then the question was, who gets the money? So we started saying that someone needed to start some kind of local group so that people weren't so alone with this. Autism is lonely and expensive (in my experience anyway). So fast forward a few months, Daddy was gone, and this same group of friends and I were talking about a way of doing something in Big T's memory. The natural choice for us was starting a cook-off. But what would we do with the money that comes in from this cook-off?? Ding ding ding!! Our friends basiclly said, "hey Shannon, you start a group, we'll start the cook-off, and the cook-off can benefit the group". Win-win for everyone!! And boom, Big T's Buddies was born. It took some other awesome people to meet up in a Fairfield Elementary School classroom, and then we got the ball rolling. The idea behind the name 'Big T's Buddies' was because Daddy always called JB his buddy, so we thought that was cute, took a vote on it against a few other names, and it won out. We added 'Autism Support Network' because it tells you what kind of group we are. And so the life of Big T's Buddies Autism Support Network began.

And so does the life of the Big T Memorial Chili Cook-Off and Music Festival. The cook-off was originally put on by the Centex Oilman's Association, and later handed over the the newly formed Tri-County Oilman's Association (a local organization-- made of guys with big hearts who work in the oilfield--that puts on fundraisers benefiting other local non-profit organizations). The cook-off is held sometime in late summer or early fall every year (I say 'sometime' because our small-town world revolves around football so much so that we have to schedule the event during the week of the season where Fairfield has a bi game ((meaning no game)) because we need the football field parking lot for parking for our event). So far, its been a success. All the monies raised go into Big T's Buddies' building fund. Its raised for locals, by locals, and it stays here to help locals. I think it's a wonderful cause (I may be a smidge biased, lol).

Revision 1/18/2015:
This year, our the cook-off event is being sponsored by the newly-formed Golden Circle Special Needs Association. I will provide more information on this great group as soon as I have something to share. Also, the cook-off name has been shortened to Big T Memorial Cook-Off, so that they are not limited in their contests and change it up to include BBQ, chili, or whatever else they may come up with. Competition cooks are a fickle bunch, I should know *smile*.

If you would like to learn more about the Big T Memorial Cook-Off, check it out on the web at http://www.bigtbash.com/ and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/bigtmemorialcookoff.

If you would like to learn more about Big T's Buddies Autism Support Network, I have copied our 'General Facts' sheet below. You can also look us up on the web at www.bigtsbuddies.org


General Facts about Big T’s Buddies Autism Support Network

Big T’s Buddies’ Autism Support Network was organized in Fairfield, Texas in the summer of 2010 to serve the local community by providing a broad range of resources and support services to meet the needs of families and individuals affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders.  We have participation from residents of Freestone County and the surrounding counties of Navarro, Limestone, Leon and Anderson.  We do not charge a membership or admission fee to any of our activities.

The group meets once a month for an educational program and once a month for an informal gathering to provide a safe, comfortable, non-judgmental outlet where families can come together to share a meal and their common experiences.  Child care is provided during the meetings by qualified adults so parents can focus their attention on the program.  Our long-term goal is to purchase land and build a state-of-the-art facility containing classroom space, an event hall, a resource center, a motor skills laboratory, office and workshop space for visiting therapists, and an ASD-friendly playground.

The State of Texas has recognized our group as a non-profit corporation, and the Internal Revenue Services officially recognizes us as a 501c3 non-profit organization.

Our Mission: To provide educational information and personal encouragement to families and individuals affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders