An area resident has raised more than $11,500 for a regional walk on behalf of autism Sunday as part of an international series of such fundraisers.

Edward Goddard - a Wrentham selectman whose 8-year-old son Bryce, a third-grader at Delaney School, has a mild form of autism - will be participating in the annual Walk Now for Autism for Southern New England at Colt State Park in Bristol, R.I. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. for the 11 a.m. 1.5 mile walk sponsored by Autism Speaks, an advocacy group.

"We thought it would be good to focus our fundraising efforts on this," Goddard said. "We want to raise money to help find a cure for this dreaded affliction and raise awareness in the community so people understand a little more about the disease."

The event, one of four such walks in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, but the only one for this area, also promises to be a fun family event, with activities such as arts and crafts for children, entertainment, refreshments, an autism community resource fair, and more.

"It is a pretty big event," Goddard said. "I just really encourage any folks in Wrentham or anyone in the area who want to contribute to support the walk whether it is $5 or $500. We would be happy to have them walk with us." Teams of walkers - formed by businesses, schools, families and others - are soliciting sponsors and donations, and those that raise $100 will receive a commemorative T-shirt.

Goddard's small walking team, "Bryce's Bulldogs," named after his son, and including his other son, Jack, 11, is the top fundraising team. More than 80 donations have been received.

"A lot of family and friends have contributed financially, $10 to $2,000," Goddard said. I received contributions from nineteen states and Washington, D.C."

Goddard said he started fundraising in July, sending out e-mails to more than 75 people he knows. An attorney in the health care field, he travels around the country.

"My goal is to raise as much money as we can," Goddard said.

"The generosity of friends and co-workers, people who live in Wrentham, far surpassed my expectations. To be the leading fundraiser and raise more than $11,000 in these economic times is really amazing.

"A lot have opened their hearts and wallets for us. We are fortunate," Goddard added. "It is a cause we hold dear to our hearts. We're elated."

Goddard has a Web page off the regional walk's Web site, southernnewengland@autismspeaks.org. Donations can be made from Goddard's page and the Web site or call him at 1-508-384-3620 or the organization at 1-617-924-3300.

Toys R Us is the national sponsor of this year's walks. There are also walks in Canada and Britain.

Walk Now for Autism is Autism Speaks' signature event. Powered by volunteers and families with loved ones on the autism spectrum, the grassroots walk generates vital funds for autism research but also raises awareness about the increasing prevalence of the complex disorder of autism.

Autism Speaks is dedicated to increasing awareness of autism disorders, funding research into the causes, prevention and treatment, and advocating for the needs of people with autism and their families. It was founded in February 2005 by Suzanne and Bob Wright, the grandparents of a child with autism. Bob Wright had served as vice chairman of General Electric and chief executive officer of NBC for more than 20 years.

Autism is a complex brain disorder that inhibits a person's ability to communicate and develop social relationships and is often accompanied by extreme behavioral challenges.

Autism disorders are diagnosed in 1 in 150 children in the United States and 67 children a day, affecting four times as many boys as girls and more than three times as many children as juvenile diabetes.

The diagnosis of autism has increased tenfold in the last decade. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have called autism a national public health crisis whose cause and cure remain unknown.

There has been much debate on the reasons why there has been such an increase in the number of cases of autism.

"It has exploded in diagnosis or prevalence in the last decade," Goddard said. "I think part of it is people are learning appropriate diagnosis."

STEPHEN PETERSON can be reached at 508-236-0377 or at speterson@thesunchronicle.com.