This is the face of autism.

But Morgan Telles is only one face out of every thousand that has autism.

"My daughter is high-functioning, a lot of times it's called Aspergers," describes her mom, Tonya Telles.

And a carnival at River City CoOp in Eau Claire is trying to bring autistic families in the Chippewa Valley together, face-to-face.

Tonya says having a close-knit community makes a big difference.

"I feel like all of our friends now are dealing with the same things we are,” says Tonya. “It's great."

It wasn't always that way. Tonya says she felt all alone when Morgan was diagnosed a few years ago.

"They just kind of tell you this is what your child has, and then they shove you right out the door," she says.

Once she found the Chippewa Valley Autism Society, Tonya got informed, and got involved. She also got her dad, Jim Jones, to volunteer.

"A few years ago, I didn't know what autism was, until it hit our family," he says.

Now he's using his business's first anniversary to raise money and bring awareness to autism.

"So many people have it and it's just a good feeling to help," he says.

Though everybody was having fun, Tonya says dealing with autism isn't always a cake walk.

"Take one day at a time,” she says. “It is overwhelming, but it's a blessing as well."

And just like the carnival games set up here, there's a reward at the end.

"These kids teach you things that you just can't imagine,” says Tonya. “And they bring the best out of you, and they bring the best out of everybody else."

According to the Chippewa Valley Autism Society, more than 26,000 people in Wisconsin have autism spectrum disorder.

More information about autism and volunteer opportunities with the Chippewa Valley Autism Society can be found at www.geocities.com/wicvas or by calling 1-715-836-9507.