Margaritaville Beach Resort Fort Myers Beach hosts My Autism Connection for day of inclusivity
The Floridant/10304800

FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. - Floridant -- Margaritaville Beach Resort Fort Myers Beach recently hosted a group from My Autism Connection, a Fort Myers-based nonprofit that offers services for autistic adults ages 18 and up.

The meaningful visit was a celebration of inclusivity and a learning opportunity for the Margaritaville Beach Resort team. In April, employees at Margaritaville Beach Resort achieved Autism Double-Checked Certification after completing training focused on how to better serve neurodiverse travelers. The My Autism Connection event helped outline how the resort can create welcoming and accommodating experiences for individuals with autism and their families.

To help the Margaritaville team better interact with participants from My Autism Connection, each guest was given a tropical lei as a subtle communication tool. The color of the lei indicated their preferred level of social interaction: orange signaled a preference for no interaction, yellow indicated openness to quiet or limited interaction, and green welcomed full, open engagement.

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Throughout the event, the group enjoyed hands-on activities like building whales out of magnetic tiles, completing puzzles and playing a safe axe-throwing game. One of the most popular stations was bracelet-making, where many participants crafted bracelets for their mothers and friends.

The group was taken on a tour of the property to learn about the resort's inner workings. One of the highlights was joining DJ Cease on stage at Fins Up! Beach Club. Participants also enjoyed a delicious lunch, provided by Chef Roberto and Chef Beth, and took a behind-the-scenes look at what it's like to be a chef at Margaritaville.

At the end of the day, the group enjoyed sweet treats at Coconut Telegraph, and each guest received a gift bag with a Margaritaville t-shirt, Fins Up! Beach Pass and other goodies, including a water bottle, koozie, notepad, pen and floating keychain.

"The group was highly engaged throughout the day, asking meaningful questions and drawing connections between their lives and how things operate at Margaritaville Beach Resort," said Sheri Villani, director of human resources at Margaritaville Beach Resort Fort Myers Beach. "Hosting this amazing group of individuals was truly one of the most rewarding and memorable days I've had at Margaritaville Beach Resort Fort Myers Beach. It reminded me of the power of inclusion, curiosity, and kindness."

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With this initiative, Margaritaville Beach Resort Fort Myers Beach aims to grow in its ability to provide exceptional service to all guests, especially those who may benefit from extra care and support during their stay.

For more information about Margaritaville Beach Resort Fort Myers Beach, visit www.MargaritavilleResorts.com/Margaritaville-Beach-Resort-Fort-Myers-Beach. More information on My Autism Connection and the services they offer can be found at MyAutismConnection.net/.