Buddy Walk 2012
September 29th, 2012
Save the date!
2011 Buddy Walk Entertainment and Speakers
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| Speaker: Forrest Hellum | Speaker: Eleanor Bailey |
About Buddy Walk
The Buddy Walk was developed by the National Down Syndrome Society in 1995 to promote acceptance and awareness of people with Down syndrome.
We encourage people with Down syndrome to invite "buddies" – everyone from friends and family to teachers, legislators and celebrities – to join them at the Buddy Walk. Every participant helps promote the importance of understanding, acceptance and awareness.
Whether you have Down syndrome, know someone who does, or just want to show your support, come and join the Buddy Walk in Portland. Anyone can be a buddy!
The History of NWDSA and Buddy Walk
2011 was the 13th year that the NWDSA hosted Buddy Walk in the Portland/Vancouver area. Our first year, a small group of parents chartered a bus and loaded up vans with participants and drove to Salem to walk along with the Willamette Valley Down Syndrome group. There were roughly 100 participants at NWDSA’s first walk. The event has been held at the Rose Quarter every year since.
The number of participants have grown every year. Our 2011 Buddy Walk saw a record number of approximately 1,500.
Over the years, the event has become more than just a walk but a celebration and festival with many community partners donating their time and services, such as Gustav’s Restaurant, Lee Farms, J J Jump Kids Games, Kids with Ice, the Cloud City Garrison, Tony Starlight's Supperclub and Lounge, and many, many more.
2011 Buddy Walk Sponsors & Participants
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Download the Sponsorship Info Pack (PDF) to learn more about the sponsorship opportunities
available for the 2011 Buddy Walk!
2010 Buddy Walk
A big thank you for everyone who volunteered, sponsored, supported and attended our 12 annual Portland SW Washington Buddy Walk!
It was our biggest ever with over 1,200 people attending, some great teams and so many smiles and a lot of fun. We felt like our mission came alive at the Buddy Walk to "Create and nurture a loving and inclusive community that celebrates every person with Down Syndrome".
We would love to see some of your favorite photos from the day and hear your stories! If you want to e-mail them to us at afrome@nwdsa.org, we would appreciate it!
The Northwest Down Syndrome Association (NWDSA) hosted the 12th annual Portland and Southwest Washington Buddy Walk on September 25, 2010, at Portland’s Rose Quarter. We are extremely proud to report that the event was a huge success! Over 1200 people attended, including many familiar faces. The Buddy Walk has evolved into a Buddy Walk/ festival where everyone comes to have fun, dance and meet new friends.
The NWDSA is carrying on the proud tradition of organizing this event to celebrate Down syndrome awareness month every October. Many of the attendees are either family members or friends of individuals in our community who have Down syndrome. Our goal is to continue to grow and reach outside our families to celebrate the wonderful gifts of our larger diverse community. The event raises awareness for people with Down syndrome, and provides a place for people to connect and celebrate together...
In addition to the walk around the Rose Garden arena area, the children enjoy face painting, games, hula hooping, balloons and gift bags. Our older children and adults enjoyed live music, provided by our friends Supervisor and Bev and the Boys, and inspirational speakers. This year we also held a silent auction and raffle with many many wonderful prizes that were donated to us and people really enjoyed winning some great prizes. We were proud to be able to have fantastic speakers and a prayer circle prior to the Walk in that was led by the Vredevelt family in memory of their son Nathan along with 125 of their friends...
Similar to prior years, the Portland Fire Bureau brought an engine and ladder truck to the Commons to share fire prevention and safety education with kids and parents, and give kids a chance to get inside a real fire truck.
We would to thank everybody who volunteered his or her time to make the event so special. We also want to thank those that pledged and donated funds, and we would like to thank our business and corporate partners, including Clif Bar, Nestle, Dreyers, Kidz with Ice, Best Buy, Wildlands, Beaver Marine, Craft Brewers, Widmere, New Seasons, Gustav’s , Fred Meyers,
Each year we look forward to seeing old friends, and meeting new ones. Many people from the community come to volunteer, and almost all of them tell us how much the event means to them, and how they are looking forward to next year. Buddy Walk 2011 will be held September 24, 2011. October is Down syndrome awareness month!
The funds raised from the event go back into the community to support the following activities of the NWDSA:
- Winter social
- Summer Social
- Drop-in sessions
- Open Arms Playgroups
- Mini-grants for parents
- Reciprocal Learning Community events
- Updating and re-printing the New Parent Guide
- Spanish translation services
- "All Born In" inclusion conference
- Photo awareness project
- Public policy and advocacy work
- Our website: www.NWDSA.org
- New Parent Outreach and phone support
The goal of the NWDSA is to grow the Buddy Walk and make it better each year – better in the sense of bringing more families and friends together, and providing a focused day of celebration that we can all feel good about. The NWDSA is a group of parents who share a passion for helping their children and families not just cope but thrive. We volunteer a lot our time to help individuals with Down syndrome lead better lives.
Please mark your calendars for the 13th Annual Buddy Walk to be held September 24, 2011 – you won’t want to miss it!
