A cookbook fundraising project conducted by an area specialty mall has raised $600 for the AUTISM SOCIETY OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS.

NICKORBOBS HOME DECOR, located 10 minutes from Springfield off Interstate 55 at Exit 82, created, published and sold cookbooks that included recipes from the malls vendors.

The cookbooks have been for sale at Nickorbobs since October 2011, with profits earmarked for the Autism Society. Nickorbobs donated the funds in honor of friends who have autism, a complex developmental disability that affects a persons ability to communicate and interact with others.

My (ten-year-old) grandson has autism, said JAK HENTON, office manager at Nickorbobs.

(Autism) is something thats always been around, but nobody ever really knew what it was. Growing up as a kid, you knew that some of kids had a problem, but you just didnt know what it was. They really didnt diagnose it.

Henton said her grandson is getting help from the Autism Society.

Nickorbobs is considering doing specialized recipe sections of a cookbook for other fundraisers.

Like maybe one year doing like an appetizer section then maybe the next year we do main dishes and then one year do salads, Henton said.

Each year they can buy something and add to itthen put it in a three-ring binder.

NICK and BOB BRITZ own and operate Nickorbobs. Hours of operation are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week.

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