NDSS Buddy Walk®

2012 Buddy Walk Conference

2012-02-23T12:52:00.003-08:00

The 4th annual Buddy Walk Conference will take place on Saturday, April 28 from 8:00 am-4:30 p.m. at the beautiful Seaport Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts.

You won't want to miss this opportunity to share ideas and best practices with Buddy Walk organizers from across the country at this exclusive one-day meeting.

Below is a description of one of our sessions, which will be led by Maureen Gallagher and Angela Ortiz of the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress, the co-sponsor of the conference.

Title: Best Practices in Engaging the Community in your Buddy Walk Program
Engaging the entire community in your walk will help you create the awareness you are looking for and bring your walk to the next level.

Learn how the MDSC engages self-advocates, legislators, schools, local businesses and others all year long to create a Buddy Walk program, not just a one day event. You’ll hear about best practices that work including the MDSC “All Stars” program, Buddy Bucks campaigns, school-wide campaigns, legislative advocacy efforts, and self-advocate leadership initiatives.

Here is what organizers had to say about the annual Buddy Walk Conference:

"I love everyone's enthusiasm and knowing that there are so many of us striving to reach the same goals yet we come from all different demographics."
"Having representatives from different groups present their success stories is a crucial part of the sessions. It gives others a chance to see what works, what doesn't work and how other groups achieve success."
"What a great meeting of the minds!!! Thank you so much for your continuous support at the NDSS office!"

Click here for more information on the conference.

Click here to register for the conference

We look forward to seeing you at the 2012 Buddy Walk Conference!

Oh the Off-Season…

2011-12-14T12:43:00.000-08:00

After an exhausting and overwhelming few months of planning, coordinating and executing a Buddy Walk, the thought of continuing to talk about it in the off-season seems like an impossible task. You just started calling you kids by their real names again—instead of “Buddy” of course—and you’ve shifted your energy towards a new project, right?

Well, here is what we did this year in New York City to fill the gap between the time our Buddy Walk ended (late September) and when we send out our Save the Date packages in March.

We put together a list of our top fundraising families who played a role in recruiting many participants. We singled them out because their efforts contributed to more than 80% of the funds associated with our walk. Communicating with 45 people is also much more manageable than 2,000. Our goal is to strengthen our relationship with people we often only see once a year and keep them loyal to the program.

Each month, these 45 people are automatically entered into a raffle drawing and one winner is randomly selected. We send everyone an email during the first week of the month announcing the winner. All of our prizes are donated and they range in value from $50 to $100. The winner can choose to keep the prize or send it to someone else as a gift.

This form of communication has served as an excellent “we appreciate you” and “hey, keep us in mind” tool and we are thrilled to reward the people who made such a tremendous impact on our Buddy Walk.

For those seeking more information about the aforementioned Save the Date packages, here are the contents that NDSS includes in ours – oh, and we mail them to corporate sponsors, major supporters and top fundraising families:

- A one-page save the date we design in-house with photos from the last event

- A letter from a self-advocate

- An autographed headshot of Chris Burke (I know this is unique to NDSS, but each group must have something special that can serve as a keepsake – a framed photo, a trinket, an inspirational poem or speech, etc.)

Oh, and don’t forget that a simple “Happy Holidays” email to all of your participants and supporters is an easy gesture that can keep you connected at a time of year when people are feeling philanthropic and generous. Attach a photo from your Buddy Walk and include next year’s date if it is already set.

Respectfully submitted,

Pam Sandonato

VP of Development

National Down Syndrome Society

psandonato@ndss.org

Buddy Walk Wednesday: My Great Story Edition

2011-11-23T10:39:00.000-08:00

This was our first Buddy Walk. My son Joshua has Down syndrome, he is only 5 so I am writing for him. He is the love of my life. Joshua came into our lives on February 7, 2006. We did not know he had Down syndrome but we soon learned the challenges that we would be facing. He is an awesome little boy who I call my little man. We attended a Buddy Walk in Ft. Wayne, Indiana a few years ago and I just wanted felt the need to start one in our hometown. Thank you Buddy Walk for giving us this opportunity to do bring such a wonderful event to our city.

More Hope for All of Us

2011-11-22T13:05:00.000-08:00

NDSS is pleased to introduce to you our next guest blogger, Diane Hobaugh, President of the Sonoma County Down Syndrome Support group in Santa Rosa, California. Get ready for the warm fuzzies as you read about the behind the scenes activity the morning of their 7th Buddy Walk®, the emotion-filled day and the hope that the Walk provides their community.

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Our seventh annual Buddy Walk® started in the crisp coolness of the darkened park on September 25, 2011, as volunteers unloaded the truck of tents, tables, and supplies. Stations were identified by piles of boxes presented to committee chairs to reveal their contents. Balloon arches began to take shape as registration tables and volunteer check-in became equipped and open for business as the morning sky lightened. Steaming containers of hot coffee and water were set up by the hospitality crew with donuts and bagels to fuel and warm hungry volunteers. This is what it takes every year to begin the day that everyone expects and remembers all year long.

Fifty, then one-hundred…two hundred, then three hundred…four, then five hundred people arrived to play the constructed games, visit our Resource Fair, designed to help parents with information and services, see our self-advocates display their art and wares for viewing and donations, and a community mingled together.

Does the stillness of the Pledge of Allegiance give you goose bumps, or the harmonizing voices of the sisters singing our National Anthem? What about the view looking out over all of the people gathered to begin the celebration of the one-mile walk for Down syndrome awareness? All ages, all abilities, all together for a walk along a beautiful trail with Snoopy as our lead.

Committee members circled back to prepare for the hungry walkers ready to taste an Italian lunch including homemade ravioli and pesto pasta donated by the Union Hotel, Occidental, CA. Service for five hundred is not a problem, when we have learned to divide the lines like a Y into two stations that move the people. The years have improved us to meet the demands of the crowds that support us.

Feeling full and satisfied we gathered as the talent show began with acts of dancing, singing, poetry reading, and group orchestrations. The Drawing of gifts this year served the purpose of helping one of our families whose child had been diagnosed with Leukemia, in addition to Down syndrome and Autism. Parents and community members responded generously with a $2,300.00 check of support. This was a village supporting one another.

Thanks to the efforts of our leadership team, with John Busick at the lead as chairperson, we raised over $16,000.00 to fund our programs. One community with a mission: to promote advocacy, raise awareness, further educational pursuits, and support research for individuals with Down syndrome and their families is unified in this day. Parents and grandparents, friends and extended family, teachers and social workers, give their resources and receive so much more from the gifts of our children. More laughter, more fun, more dancing, more smiles, more joy than we would have without them. Yes, the struggles are there, always, but the learning surpasses any trial in the way that we see different ways of coping and seeing the beauty in an everyday world. More hope for all of us.

Buddy Walk Wednesday: My Great Story Edition

2011-11-16T10:10:00.000-08:00

This year, I participated in the National Down Syndrome Society's New York City Buddy Walk®. It was my first time ever participating in a Buddy Walk, and it was a wonderful experience! We arrived early in New York City to watch the Times Square Video. It was such a beautiful video, and so amazing to see all the lovely pictures appear on a huge screen. I accompanied Nina, a girl I babysit part-time, and her family. Nina, who is three and has Down syndrome, was one of the lucky individuals to be chosen to be part of the video. She had so much fun watching the video in Times Square and even more fun at the Buddy Walk events later that day. Nina was cheering along the whole time with a pom-pom in hand.

From there we traveled to Central Park to begin the festivities. I was so inspired to see how many people came out for the walk! There were tons of activities to do before the walk began, such as games and an interactive Zumba warm-up routine. The walk through the park was beautiful and very relaxing. After the walk, we returned to the area that had been set up for the Buddy Walk, where there was food and more performances to last the afternoon. Nina loves the Signing Time video series, and there was a special performance by the host of the series. I know Nina especially loved this part of the day – she was so excited to sing and sign along! Overall, it was a terrific day. I am so thankful to have been able to participate this year, and hope that I am able to return again year after year!

Rain, Rain Go Away: Trading in Rainy Day Blues for Buddy Walk Blues and Yellows

2011-11-15T10:12:00.000-08:00

Every Buddy Walk® Organizer knows how it feels to lose sleep over a weather forecast, fearing that no one will show up if the weather is bad and that the spirits of those that do come out will be dampened by the rain. This week’s guest blogger, Kellie Perez, the Director of Community Relations of the Down Syndrome Association of Orange County, tells us her story of a rainy Sunday – and how important it is to stay focused and trust that the loyalty of your participants is so much more powerful than anything mother nature sends your way that day.

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Rain didn't dampen our spirits, or make us forget why we were together on Sunday.

On Sunday, November 6, DSAOC had 45 exhibitors and more than 2,300 people in attendance at the 11th Annual Orange County Buddy Walk.

Rain drops began falling just after 7 a.m. and soon came the wind and chill. At 9 a.m. when the gates opened and we expected to see much fewer numbers, families and supporters arrived with their arsenal of rain gear.

Families added extra tarps to the sides of their tents to protect their team members from the weather, exhibitors served coffee and hot chocolate, and people huddled together to stay warm.

Around 10 a.m., when the rain and wind seemed at its worse, people showed their best. Strangers, linked together by the commonality of having a loved one with Down syndrome, pulled their team tents together for extra warmth, and also invited those without tents to join with them.

As if Mother Nature had our schedule, just before our Walk was due to start around 11 a.m., the rain stopped and the clouds parted! More than 2,000 people that hung in there with us when the weather got rough, got to enjoy our live entertainment, including a beautiful stage performance by the Buena Park Hi-Tops, animal and reptile presentations by the Southern California Herpetology Association and The Wildlife Company, and our fabulous live band, The Vince, Bob & Buddy Band.

DJ Willpower kept the tunes going throughout the day, no matter what the weather was like. He had a constant dancing audience of our teens and adults with Down syndrome, as well as others who wouldn't let the rain stop their desire to move to great tunes.

Grand Marshall, Rex Hudler, thanked our families and supporters for hanging in there with us, and then got to work recognizing our Top teams and fundraisers. Almost on schedule, our 11th Annual Buddy Walk commenced with happy faces and warmth that glowed from the inside out.

Thank you to all who participated and supported this event, and the missions of the Down Syndrome Association of Orange County and the National Down Syndrome Society.

Buddy Walk Wednesday: My Great Story Edition

2011-11-09T10:47:00.000-08:00

My story is about my son Alex who is soon to be 17 years old. He is the most amazing human being I have ever met! We adopted Alex when he was 10½ months old, from that day on my life has never been the same. Alex lives life to fullest every second of every day. He has taught me not to judge a book by it's cover & not to be afraid to speak to someone I don't know. He has shown me not to be afraid of what other people may think, and that is always OK to laugh and have fun. I know he has inspired many of friends. I can only hope to touch as many people's hearts as Alex already has!

Every year when the Buddy Walk rolls around he goes above and beyond to raise money & encourage people to come out and walk with him. I am proud to say this year he out did himself with a team of over 100 people. He not only wanted them to come walk for him but included his two classmates who also have Down syndrome.

It is amazing to watch Alex interact with his friends. I feel he has taught them all patience & compassion. He also has taught them a dance move or two as well! It is fun to walk behind him in the halls at school, between the high fives, fist bumps, and hello hugs it's amazing he gets to where he's going and isn't late. There are very few students who don't know Alex at North Henderson High. I have to say the kids at his school are as amazing as Alex is.

In ending I can only hope you all have someone as amazing as Alex in your life. The encouragement he gives along with the hugs and smiles is truly inspiring. The sun is always shining in Alex's world, and I am so very proud of the young man he has become!

Some long overdue words from the National Buddy Walk® Director

2011-11-08T07:07:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, I recently returned from a nearly 8 week leave – right in the midst of peak Buddy Walk® season – to travel to Korea to pick up our son, Joseph Sung Min Switalski and spend some time adjusting to our new addition. While I felt a little badly that I would not be available to all the Buddy Walk organizers as I have been for the past 9 years, I took great comfort knowing that they were in such great hands with the rest of the NDSS staff. As much as I love my job, it was wonderful to be able to be able to focus all my energies on my family.

I was fortunate enough to be able to travel to Seoul and spend a week there before returning home with Joe. One of the highlights of my trip was being invited to his foster family’s home to celebrate his doljabee, which is the celebration of his first birthday. It was an incredible gift for me to be able to spend a few hours with him in his home environment so I would be able to see him in his home environment and see a glimpse of his personality. For the past 6 months, I had been seeing pictures and videos of Joe Sung Min but (and yes, this is the proud Mama speaking here) none of them did justice to his cuteness. I was instantly smitten and couldn’t wait to be able to bring him home to the rest of my family.

My week in Seoul is a blur to me now. I had an amazing time, ate incredibly delicious food and met some wonderful people. I shopped. A lot. And filled an entire suitcase with little presents to give Joe each year as we celebrate his family day and gifts for Olivia, our 5 year old daughter – as well as various pieces of art to display around the house to honor his background and show how it is part of our lives as well.

I’m not going to lie, the first few weeks were rough. We were jetlagged and his little world was turned upside down. He was ready to party from 11pm – 3am when we were ready to sleep. He wanted nothing to do with his crib and hated to have his diaper changed. But, after months of waiting, he was finally home and that was all that mattered. He had an awesome personality and fit right in with our family. He fell in love with his big sister and quickly learned that my husband and I were here to take care of him. We have been incredibly blessed.

Flash forward to today – home just over two months and he is sleeping through the night (in his crib), he is holding his own bottle and feeding himself, he says 8 - 10 words (of course, “Mama” was right up there at the top!), claps his hands, gives high-fives and does “So big”. Soon he’ll be walking and we’ll be facing a new set of challenges – but we are excited about what lies ahead.

Coming back to work full-time has been an adjustment, but working from home has definitely helped the transition. I was more than a little overwhelmed when I opened my email and saw 1250 emails and had 62 voicemails. The realization struck me again that I had been out for almost half of the Buddy Walk season. As I worked my way through my email and voicemail, I was relieved to see how smoothly things moved in my absence – and how fortunate I am to have such a strong team of co-workers at NDSS.

As I read through the e-mails I couldn’t help but feel a great sense of pride for all of the Buddy Walk organizers I have been fortunate enough to work with. The amount of time and energy you put into planning your Walk, most of the time after you’ve worked your eight hours and put the kids to bed, is amazing. Your dedication to individuals with Down syndrome – to celebrating their lives and accomplishments is inspiring. The Buddy Walk program is the premier advocacy and fundraising event for the Down syndrome community worldwide and our success is due to your successes at the local level.

I am back and ready to bring new ideas and energy to the 2012 Buddy Walk program. I am eager to learn and grow from each of you as I learn and grow with my family. My family and I thank you for all of your well wishes at this time.

Joe enjoying his first ride on a swing

Joe and his big sister Olivia

Joe and his Mama on Halloween

Buddy Walk Wednesday: My Great Story Edition

2011-11-02T10:21:00.000-07:00

Last year, our family participated in the Gulf Coast Down Syndrome Society's Buddy Walk over in Gulfport, MS - we "piggybacked" on another team, Christian's Crew. Although we enjoyed spending time with Christian and his family (friends of friends), we decided that this year it was time to form our own team, and we chose to walk closer to home, in Mobile, Alabama.

Unfortunately, the Buddy Walk date wasn't great for a big chunk of our family and friends. October 15 is opening day of bow season down here (deer hunting, for those who don't know), and my grandmother's 90th birthday party was also planned for the same day (350 miles away). And, of course, most of my friends have school-age kids who play soccer or football or some other sport on Saturday mornings during October. When we registered, I honestly wasn't sure if anyone other than our nuclear foursome would show up, but we plunged in with both feet anyway, in hopes of meeting other local families touched by T21.

Despite the many conflicts, I'm pleased to say that we had a great, if small-ish, turnout for our team, Powered by Nathan. My best bud from our years in north Alabama came from 350 miles away, along with her daughter, as did my mother-in-law. Our next-door neighbors joined us, as well. In addition, my daughter's current physical therapist (she has cerebral palsy) came out with her son, as did her long-time physical therapist from Children's Hospital in Birmingham. Yes, that's right - Miss Carrie drove 250 miles each way, just for the day, to join us for Nathan's Buddy Walk (Bonus: Miss Carrie is SUPER FUN!)

What I Loved About the Buddy Walk:

Being surrounded by friends and family on a beautiful Saturday morning.

Looking around at the diversity to be found within the faces of the "buddies" and their friends and family members.

Knowing that there wasn't a person there who would have rejected or mocked my son because of his extra chromosome.

There is only one thing I didn't love about the Buddy Walk: knowing that, although the combined population of Mobile and Baldwin Counties is around a half million people, only a few hundred came out to experience the Buddy Walk. The Buddy Walk's current tagline is "Get Involved. Be Inspired." So many people missed out on the opportunity to be inspired.

One of the greatest things about the Buddy Walk was that it gave me the chance, even if just for a few hours, to live in the "Buddy Bubble" - a place where everyone celebrated, loved, and embraced people with Down syndrome.

More pics and info about our family can be found at: http://www.bringingthesunshine.com/tag/buddy-walk/

Buddy Walk Wednesday: My Great Story Edition

2011-10-26T06:56:00.000-07:00

Our Buddy Walk is fast approaching and I always remember the very first one we went to and how it made me feel. My baby boy was one and it was cold. I remember this because we had him so bundled up you could barely see his face. The Buddy Walk was the first time I saw so many people coming together to raise awareness and acknowledge all the people in our community with Down syndrome. This was a celebration of the friendships and obstacles that had been overcome. We walked with hundreds of people that day all celebrating different things. I was celebrating the fact I finally found the courage to join this group. I needed to see the joy that was overflowing from everyone. Kids were dancing, and playing games while I was finding comfort in parents interacting with their children in a way I wasn't sure would exist for us. This was a joyous occasion for me because once my boy was born I didn't know what was down the road for us and I found out that it isn't that scary.

It took me a whole year before I could make that call to the Down Syndrome Association of Tulsa. I often wonder why I couldn't do it before I did and to this day I am not sure what made me finally move forward and do it. That is something else I remember, I don't remember exactly what we talked about but I remember talking to the President of the organization, Erin. She had this voice of happiness, I could just here happiness when she talked, and I wanted to find that voice in me. She invited us in and before we knew it we were joining play groups and talking to other parents dealing with the same issues. This is important because I suddenly realized that we were not the only ones that were having issues with throwing, or feeding. We were no longer alone.

This will be our 6th Buddy Walk and my boy has his share of buddies that donate money and/or walk with us. We love our buddies and thank them for their support. Each year the walk represents a different stage of development for us because each year our boy does something different at the walk. He used to ride in his car and then he started walking with us and now he plays on all the Jupiter jumps and participates in the carnival games, I am excited to see how this year will play out.

The Buddy Walk means different things to different people and for us it is all about being with our family and friends celebrating something that has brought us all together on this particular day. We are getting ready for Sunday and will be sporting our team shirts while raising our flag for the person who has opened our eyes to all the love that can be found in just his smile.

Buddy Walk Wednesday: My Great Story Edition

2011-10-19T07:38:00.000-07:00

The NDSS My Great Story campaign seeks to ignite a new way of thinking about people with Down syndrome by sharing stories by people with Down syndrome and their family members, friends, teachers, coworkers and many others. One section within the campaign is dedicated exclusively to sharing Buddy Walk stories!

Visit ndss.org/stories to view the rest of the collection and to share your Buddy Walk story!

Submitting your Buddy Walk story to the My Great Story campaign is a great way to preserve your Walk memories, and the voting and commenting features allow for an interactive experience between participants from different Walks. If you're interested in promoting the My Great Story campaign at your Buddy Walk, click here to download the My Great Story Buddy Walk flyer, or contact Jordana Stern, NDSS Communications Associate, at jstern@ndss.org with any other questions.

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Ethan's Entourage
Erica McCormick, Fort Dix, NJ

I am a mother of a 6 year old boy named Ethan who has Down syndrome. When he was born we did not know he had Down syndrome until a few hours after he was delivered the doctors came in and told me; my response was "special babies were born to special people." He puts a smile on everyone's face that he meets. He brings out the good in people and inspires me to be a better person and mother to him. Life can be challenging at times but it only makes us stronger. He is a funny, animated, charismatic, enthusiastic little boy! I feel Ethan was sent to me for a reason, he changed my life for the better and he has touched all of our families and friends lives as well.

We just had our Buddy Walk in Pennsylvania on Sunday. The only way to describe this day is AMAZING! The group that came out to support my son and my family was almost 200 people! Words cannot even describe the feeling I have that so many people were gathered there for Ethan. To know, that almost 200 people were there for my son is a blessing. I could not be any happier with the outcome of the day. The support we have for Ethan from family and friends is overwhelming. I am so thankful to everyone that took time out of their day to spend it supporting Down syndrome.

The meaning of the word Buddy Walk to me means togetherness. Everyone there that day was there because of their special buddy whether it was Ethan or another person who has Down syndrome. I want to thank the Buddy Walk for having such a wonderful event where we can all go out and support our loved ones. All in all, I am very lucky to have been blessed with a child with Down syndrome and I would never change that for the world. He is destined to do great things and I will be right next to his side the whole way!

Registration for the 2012 Buddy Walk® on Washington is Open!

2011-10-17T10:27:00.000-07:00

Every Buddy Walk® is special and unique in its own way, but there is one Buddy Walk that is totally different from all the rest; the annual Buddy Walk® on Washington!

The Buddy Walk on Washington isn't a mile long walk or a day for families to meet up in the park; it's a two-day advocacy conference that brings the Down syndrome community together in Washington D.C. to advocate for public policies that impact the lives of people with Down syndrome and their families.

It's an amazing couple of days, and we encourage you all to attend. You don't need to be a policy buff, just someone with a passion for the cause. NDSS provides all the training, support and information you need to enjoy the experience. Click here to register and learn more.

Whether or not you attend this year (and we hope you do!), you have already been an instrumental part of helping NDSS achieve its legislative agenda (which includes improving education, healthcare, research and employment for people with Down syndrome). The donations that come to NDSS from local Buddy Walks go directly to support the efforts of the NDSS National Policy Center.

Beyond this obvious financial connection, Buddy Walks across the country help make our policy work possible by creating a positive, visible presence for the Down syndrome community everywhere a Walk is held. In fact, we call the conference the Buddy Walk® on Washington to help send this cohesive message about Down syndrome awareness and inclusion. Further, one of the things many advocates will ask the legislators for during the meetings will be to attend a local Walk. Using this name for the conference will help the elected official connect local and national Down syndrome awareness activities with the local advocates with whom they are building a relationship.

We hope to see you in Washington D.C. this February, and we invite you to get involved in our legislative work (click here to begin to receive alerts and information our policy center shares). But just by hosting, attending or supporting a local Buddy Walk, you’re already an important advocate!

Buddy Walk® Wednesday: My Great Story Edition

2011-10-12T08:02:00.000-07:00

This year will mark the 12th Buddy Walk event for my family. Sometime in the late spring of 1999, I learned about the Buddy Walk, which had been developed by the National Down Syndrome Society in 1995 as an awareness campaign and was marketed for local organizations across our nation. At that time in my area an "organization" did not yet exist. A light bulb went off! What better way to celebrate the life of my daughter Hannah than by bringing together the community of children and adults with Down syndrome and their families to have a Buddy Walk! Never before had I done anything like organizing a community event, but with all the resources and guidance which NDSS had to offer, how hard could it be, right?

In the previous year I had made friendships with a few of the other moms across our coast that also gave birth to a child with Down syndrome. Several of them jumped right on board with the work to be done to make the Walk a success. I was, and still am, so grateful for the help they gave in organizing and making a reality the first Buddy Walk on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The event was held on Saturday, October 23, 1999, in Gautier at the walking track of the local community college. My daughter Hannah was just 22 months old at the time of this, her first Buddy Walk. Since then she sure has grown up. In recent years Hannah has performed a baton twirling/dance routine at the annual event.

At our first Buddy Walk it was nothing fancy or over the top, but it was fun, positive and a beginning to something which has grown and evolved over the past twelve years for our area. In 1999, there were a total of about 100 people, give or take, at the local Buddy Walk. In 2010, our local chapter (Gulf Coast Down Syndrome Society) had in attendance approximately 2,500 people! The community involvement at the annual Walks has continually grown so much that the 2011 event is being held in yet another new location to accommodate the crowd. What an awesome problem to have!

Thank you NDSS and GCDSS for your continued advocacy and tireless work to share with the nation and our own communities that our children matter and that their lives are not defined by medical terminology, but by the acceptance, love and support we as a whole in society offer to them. My family and I look forward to many more October Buddy Walks for years to come- building a bridge to a brighter future truly can start with just one step.

Tips for a Family-Friendly Fun Event!

2011-10-10T08:29:00.000-07:00

Warning – after reading this blog post, you may find yourself searching for the next flight to Tulsa. If anyone knows how to have fun, it's today's guest blogger Erin Paul, the volunteer co-coordinator of the Down Syndrome Association of Tulsa Buddy Walk®. Erin has been an active member of the Down syndrome community in Tulsa since her daughter Taylor (now 10) was born. She and her husband Adam are also the proud parents of Cade and Connor. Fasten your seat belts, friends, Erin is about to blow your mind.

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We are getting ready to have our 9th annual Down Syndrome Association of Tulsa Buddy Walk on Sunday, October 16th. We have grown so much every year. We started with 500 people our first year and last year we had about 4,800 and are expecting even more this year!

I feel our Walk is so successful because we make it such a family friendly event. We have so many activities for all ages. We have skydivers that jump as we are singing the National Anthem! We have custom car groups, police and fire trucks, jugglers, clowns, and volunteers doing Buddy Walk tattoos - all of this is before the Walk even begins. Other highlights include an inflatable obstacle course, a rock wall, big slide, jupiter jumps, a carnival area, sidewalk chalk, bubble wands, hula hoops, and a basketball net. If you haven't heard enough yet, we also have a local exotic animal place bringing exotic animals and pony rides for the kids! These make excellent pictures!

McDonald's sponsors our food. Ronald McDonald comes and leads the kids in stretching exercises before the actual Walk begins and he leads the Walk! He also gives all the kids with Down syndrome an emblem at the end of the walk as they cross the stage. Borden's donates ice cream sandwiches and popsicles and Feed the Children donates all of our water.

We have about 25 exhibitors this year including local therapy groups, support networks, ARC, music classes, local children's museum, etc! We provide the tables and chairs and they provide information about their business/organization and a carnival game and prizes. This encourages people to walk over to their table and gather the information. All of the information is beneficial to the Down syndrome community.

We have all the local sports teams represented with their mascots and cheerleaders. We also have the local sheriff department bring their mascot along with a Child Identification Booth so kids can get fingerprinted. Best Buy sets up a booth with several iPads, Wiis and other gadgets for the kids to play. We also offer team photos donated by a local photographer and we have raffle baskets that we do throughout the event. Akdar Shriners from the Akdar Shrine Center in Tulsa are also really involved in our event. They bring out their mini cars, clowns and their popular Popcorn Wagon for the kids.

In regard to live entertainment, a local pipe band plays their pipes as we are starting the Walk. This is amazing! We have about 6 different local cheerleading groups along with their mascots either help lead the Walk and/or cheering as everyone is walking . They also pass out the great medals that all kids and young adults get as they cross the line!

Finally, it is important to mention the 'Buddy of the Year' award. We have people nominate an individual that has been a great "buddy" to them through the year. We give a plaque to this individual and have them say a few words. This is always a very touching part of the Walk. We also started appointing Ambassadors, who are self-advocates over the age of 16. They get special shirts and get to cut the ribbon during the ribbon cutting ceremony as people enter the track area. They also help with the raffle drawings, leading the Walk, and in several other areas during the Walk.

I could go on and on. If you have any questions, please contact me at erin-adam@prodigy.net. Our group has learned so much over the years and we have changed and added so many things. We’d love to offer our help to you!

Buddy Walk Wednesday: My Great Story- Late Edition!

2011-10-06T09:37:00.000-07:00

Visit ndss.org/stories to view the rest of the collection and to share your Buddy Walk story!

Submitting your Buddy Walk story to the My Great Story campaign is a great way to preserve your Walk memories, and the voting and commenting features allow for an interactive experience between participants from different Walks. If you're interested in promoting the My Great Story campaign at your Buddy Walk, click here to download the My Great Story Buddy Walk flyer, or contact Jordana Stern, NDSS Communications Associate, at jstern@ndss.org with any other questions.

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Without further ado, we bring you the My Great Story submission from this week's guest blogger, Cathy Ward!

What the Buddy Walk is All About
Cathy Ward, Champaign, IL

Buddy Walks are held yearly around our country and the world to promote acceptance and awareness of individuals with Down syndrome. Every year, our group's event has more participants- whether with Down syndrome or not. Everyone comes out and enjoys a free fun day where our children with an extra chromosome are included fully in every activity. Our group's goal is for participants to walk away from the event realizing that individuals with Down syndrome really are more alike than different.

During our group's event in 2009, I had the chance to talk with a Girl Scout leader of a 7th grade troop that has been helping at the Buddy Walk for 4 years now. I originally went to one of their meetings to explain about Down syndrome the first year that they helped with our event. The troop recently became certified in babysitting through our local hospital so they can babysit for troop trip funding, etc. The leader told me that she invited one of our families to come and talk to the group about how childcare for a child with special needs might be different than childcare for an average child. The leader said before the 'talk,' she heard the girls saying that most of them wouldn't know what to do if they received a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome- most said probably adoption. Then our family came and discussed their son and brought him along for the talk. After the presentation, the leader said that she heard all the girls saying that Down syndrome wasn't really that big of a deal and that they would raise their child if he/she happened to have Down syndrome.

It brought tears to my eyes on an already emotion-filled day. This is why we do the Buddy Walk and everything else we do- to raise awareness and acceptance of all individuals with an extra chromosome. And we're getting it done in our little part of the world- maybe one person at a time, but views are changing and I couldn't be happier.

Volunteers: Key to a Successful Buddy Walk®

2011-10-03T09:02:00.000-07:00

Cathy Ward, today's guest blogger, has been the Buddy Walk® Coordinator for the Champaign County Down Syndrome Network for the past six years. She became involved in her local group when her oldest son, Dominic, was born with that “extra lil' bit J” The goal of their Buddy Walk is to raise awareness and acceptance by giving participants the opportunity to play in a social setting alongside those who have Down syndrome and walk away knowing that individuals with Down syndrome are more alike than different.

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Our group has held a Buddy Walk yearly since 2005 and one key component to having a successful day is recruiting volunteers for the event.

Every group is going to have a different dynamic but for the Champaign County Down Syndrome Network (DSN), our organization runs solely through volunteers - mostly from our membership. The Buddy Walk is one event where we have to 'outsource' our volunteer needs the most. I understand completely that our families want to enjoy the day with their teams and being in charge of a 'station' or 'area' the day of the Buddy Walk prevents this from happening.

The Champaign County DSN has held six wonderful events and our volunteers have made this dream to become a reality for our community. Our recruiting techniques have varied from year to year with the ever-changing world of technology. Listed below are some of the ways we recruit for our event, hopefully it will help you to recruit for yours.

Ways to Contact Potential Volunteers:

Volunteer fairs: Check with your local universities, colleges and high schools about yearly volunteer fairs held at the schools. The Champaign County DSN sets up every year for two of these volunteer fairs and it always generates people to help our group. We set up an information booth about our group, complete with pictures and giveaways. Chocolates and pens are always a great way to get people to stop by and check out your organization's booth.
Local organizations: Compose a letter or email to your local organizations that may be looking for volunteer hours. In our community we contact: Best Buddies, Fraternities/Sororities, Church groups, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and 4-H. Rotary, Big Brother/Big Sister, and Lions’ Club are also good resources to contact. Our group is very fortunate to live in a 'college town' and we work with the Special Education department to recruit volunteers from majors that will have a career working with individuals who have special needs. School aides and paraprofessionals are also a wonderful resource- many of these individuals love the chance to work with our group, outside of the school setting.
Membership: Contact your membership with the volunteer opportunity that the Buddy Walk creates and ask them to send out your letter/email to their contacts. Many businesses are creating the opportunity for their employees to give back to the community and welcome hearing about options available for volunteering.

Incentives to Offer to Recruit Volunteers:

Offer free t-shirts for the event: approach local businesses to sponsor volunteer shirts if necessary to work within budget constraints.
Offer to write service hours letters for all volunteers
Offer a free lunch or snacks (depending on length of shift): some restaurants will donate lunches or snacks for volunteers as in-kind sponsor.
Contact local businesses for discount cards to give volunteers
Create a raffle basket for volunteers only: earn tickets by hours worked, contact local businesses for donations for the basket.

Lessons learned over the years:

Anytime you recruit volunteers, increase your needs by 20-30% (ie, if you need 100 volunteers, recruit 120). We always have 'no-shows' due to unforeseen issues, illness or forgetfulness J. Planning to staff over your needs will help ensure a smoother day for everyone.
Volunteer roster: Ask your chair-people to give a list of number and timing of volunteer needs for their area and create a volunteer roster from their input. Include volunteer name, t-shirt size, email, phone and address information as well as assigned duty and time. Utilize the volunteer roster at volunteer sign-in the day of the event to help get volunteers to their assigned areas, hand out t-shirts and lunch tickets, and confirm their attendance.
Post volunteer opportunity on group's website and/or Facebook/Twitter pages. Include details of 'goodies' for volunteers as well as contact name/info to confirm volunteer.
Recruit a dedicated volunteer chair who can oversee volunteers the day of the event as well as organize volunteers and recruit for your event. This is a huge piece of the planning and most Buddy Walk coordinators don't have the time to devote to this task that it requires.

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Please post questions and comments below. Good luck planning your Buddy Walk, and happy Down Syndrome Awareness Month!

Buddy Walk Wednesday: My Great Story Edition

2011-09-28T11:31:00.000-07:00

Jude's 4th buddy walk came and went, and I cannot help to look back at the past photos that were took throughout the years and see how much our team has grown. We went from having nine people at our first Buddy Walk in 2008 to having 43 people registered to walk in 2011! I am so touched that so many people are rooting for Jude to succeed and genuinely care about him. Knowing that friends and family will always be there to support him makes me feel at ease that he will never be alone in this world and will always have a solid foundation to support him whenever he needs someone to lean on. I would like to thank my family and friends for being there for my family and especially Jude. We are so blessed to have you in our lives.

And to my son Jude... I love you so much I wish I could express it into words what I feel towards you. You are my sunshine, the reason I live. I wish that your life will be greater than you ever expect it to be. I hope all of your dreams come true and I hope I get to share them with you. You're truly the best thing that has happened to me and whatever twist or turn fate brings our way I will always be there to guide you down the road you choose. I cannot wait to see what see what comes our way!

Buddy Walk Wednesday: My Great Story Edition- Five Great Reasons to Share Your Story!

2011-09-21T11:07:00.000-07:00

If you're interested in promoting the My Great Story campaign at your Buddy Walk, click here to download the My Great Story Buddy Walk flyer, or contact Jordana Stern, NDSS Communications Associate, at jstern@ndss.org with any other questions.
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Five awesome reasons to share your Buddy Walk story with the My Great Story campaign:

1. You can submit a photo along with your story, so it's a great opportunity to show off those Buddy Walk shirts and smiles!

2. The My Great Story collection is housed in a beautiful online storybook, so your submission becomes a part of a growing collection in a section exclusively for Buddy Walk memories!

3. Each story gets its own unique link, so it's easy to share your story with friends and family. The commenting feature encourages your readers to share their thoughts about your story!

4. Sharing your Buddy Walk story is a great way to show off your experience with those who couldn't be at your Walk, and to connect to other Walkers from around the country!

5. The My Great Story of the Month Contest awards a prize to the top voted story each month, and the top two voted stories are featured in the NDSS E-Newsletter, so share your story and spread the word to win!

Buddy Walk Wednesday: My Great Story Edition

2011-09-14T10:48:00.000-07:00

When Alice was born, she had a stroke that badly affected her right side. She was already likely to have issues from low muscle tone, which is common in people with Down syndrome. The stroke would just make things more challenging.

At eight months, Alice surprised us. She said, "up". She loved the word "up". "Up, up, up, up!" It was wonderful. We had a belief that she had a gift in language. While there is also a consistency in kids with Down syndrome being speech delayed, speech is not language. Functional MRIs done by researchers have shown that while related, they are in different parts of the brain. Alice's Early Intervention case manager suggested getting a speech therapist on board and pulled some strings to get one the better ones who also has a child with Down syndrome.

While we didn't always agree with her methods, she did a number of things that had terrific results. She lent us two videos of a TV show called Signing Time. Alice was immediately drawn in and loved watching every minute. It wasn't long after that I was getting ready to go to work and I tickled her for good measure before I left. She signed "more." In seeing Alice's strength, we worked it hard. We learned a form of sign language called Pidgin Signed English, which is ASL signs in English word order. We spoke but we signed too. We used Sign Language as a kinesthetic highlighter to our speech.

The result was that we started to see into her mind. She told me that her uncle was in the backyard with a pig. Wow!

And so it's no surprise that we became huge fans of Rachel Coleman, co-creator and star of Signing Time. How could we not? Her work helped jump start Alice's communication. When Alice started preschool, she had age-appropriate vocabulary, just not spoken.

Last year, we went to the 2010 Massachusetts Buddy Walk. Mostly because Rachel Coleman was going to be performing before the walk. Alice didn't sleep well the night before and was super cranky the whole day. That all went away when Alice saw Rachel and Hopkins (Hopkins is a frog who helps teach the signs in the show). She beamed and wanted to go running up ahead of everyone else. It was terrific to see Alice and Rachel and Hopkins. I gave Rachel a great big hug and thanked her for everything that she has done.

When Rachel did her stage show, she picked Alice along with other kids to help her sing her song, Colors of the Rainbow. Alice eagerly went up on stage and did a great job signing. I didn't know whether to smile or cry. Maybe those are the best moments.

The Importance of Inclusion: Getting the Community Involved in your Buddy Walk®

2011-09-12T08:23:00.000-07:00

Guest blogger Dennis Diehl and his wife Sharonlee established the Boardwalk Buddy Walk® in Rehoboth Beach in 2006 as a way to welcome Sharonlee'’s brother, David Samson, into the community. Today, David is 60 years old and the entire community of Rehoboth Beach knows him and welcomes him along with many other individuals with Down syndrome. In the six years that NDSS has gotten to know Dennis and Sharonlee, we have grown to greatly admire their efforts and goals -- they are true community change-makers.

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Until now I have not been a blogger. When asked to contribute to this page as a guest blogger, just out of curiosity, I looked up 'blog' in my (1966) collegiate dictionary and it's not there. How funny is that?

So without any real understanding of what you, my blogees, are expecting, I will begin.

Ask yourself this, "How will your Buddy Walk impact your community?"

I want to walk the busy streets downtown and be greeted with smiles. I want to eat at any restaurant, and be treated with respect. I want people to understand. To make this happen, we, the Buddy Walk® organizers, must empower the Down syndrome community to create an impact on the community at large.

It's about acceptance and inclusion. It will open doors.

It is not enough to invite only family members and friends of people with Down syndrome to our Walks. They already understand. We need to include the community at large. People who don't know us will see what we can do. They will see us dance and sing and celebrate. Then hopefully, they will understand how valuable our lives are to each other.

Here is a good idea on how to include the community:

If there are any retail stores or eateries near your Walk, or on the way to your Walk, give them a "Welcome Buddy Walkers" banner or sign. Most retailers and restaurateurs love welcome signs. Give them some free event t-shirts for their employees to wear the day of the Walk and provide them with small giveaways for anyone who comes in with a Buddy Walk t-shirt. Your walkers will feel accepted and the business will feel included.

Several years ago, I gave two dozen pencils to the local bookstore owner to give out on Walk day, and a welcome sign for his door. He was happy to participate, and thought that would be enough. He later told me he had to provide three dozen of his own pencils, but because he had done such great business from our families, he was glad to do it. The bookstore owner is now a $500 sponsor of the Buddy Walk.

Following the Walk and festivities we encourage our participants to visit the shops and restaurants that display the welcome banners. It is not all about money. Lasting friendships have been made and continue throughout the year.

In preaching acceptance and inclusion, these beautiful people with Down syndrome are our greatest asset. They have touched souls in my town.

Rehoboth Beach is a better place because of the Buddy Walk.

Respectfully blogged,

Dennis Diehl
Boardwalk Buddy Walk®
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

Buddy Walk Wednesday: My Great Story Edition

2011-09-07T12:36:00.000-07:00

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Soaring with Sean
Kathy Christensen, Wyncote, PA

Sean has been with us nearly four years, and this October marks our 5th Buddy Walk in Philadelphia. Our first Buddy Walk, we were joined by a group of loving, caring family and friends, who embraced Sean from the start. We were 40 adults and children, who came from PA, NJ, CT, MA, WA and ID, just to support Team Sean. We raised about $1,500 as a team that year, and Sean was just 3 months old. I recall the week before the Buddy Walk, he had just been fitted for his first set of hearing aids. He was still a peanut, having been born a month early weighing in at just 4 lbs. 14 oz. He was swimming in his Buddy Walk t-shirt, and he slept through most of the day. It was magical, that day. I will never forget the feeling of walking into Villanova Stadium, everyone there for the same reason we were: because their lives have been touched by someone with Down syndrome. Each year, the same feeling comes over me when we enter the stadium, and to describe it is almost impossible. The closest I can come is to say it is like being lifted up into the sky, and feeling what it might be like to fly. That is how the energy in that stadium, the love that is shared on that day, and the sight of all that joy and celebration of the human spirit all of it can make a person feel.

Since then, Team Sean has grown, and our dedicated contingent still comes from far-flung states just to be with us for Buddy Walk day. It is gratifying to think this team has together raised more than $10,000 in four years. More important, to me, is the unconditional support and acceptance of Sean by our family, friends and community. They have inspired me, by their willingness to be part of an ongoing effort to increase the ability of people with Down syndrome to participate as valued members of society. Like us, they see all the promise in Sean and others like him. And, of course, Sean inspires me with his developmental mountain climbing, baby step by baby step, every single day. He is, quite simply, extraordinary.

So each year, I can't wait for the Buddy Walk. I wonder whether it is the collective joy of that celebratory group who are linked together by Down syndrome, or if it is the very people we are there to support those with Down syndrome, like Sean, who make it so magical. I tend to believe that somewhere on that extra chromosome is the key to something elusive that the rest of us have to spend a lifetime trying to find. Unless, of course, we are lucky enough to be living with that gift each day, allowing us entry into a very "special" world indeed.

If you don't happen to have someone who has Down syndrome in your life, come find us at Villanova Stadium on October 2nd. We'll introduce you to Sean and his friends. And who knows? You may even meet me, soaring up in the clouds.

Buddy Walk Wednesday: My Great Story Edition

2011-08-24T08:23:00.000-07:00

My son Christopher (CJ) is 8 years old and has Down syndrome. After missing the past two years we decided to attend the local Buddy walk sponsored by Acton up With Downs here in Panama City, Florida. Christopher did not really understand why he was there, but he sure did make himself known. As the Newscasters were on the stage at the Park Christopher decided he needed to run up on the stage and say hello to everyone through the microphone. No one knew what he was saying, but he was saying a lot. My heartfelt appreciation goes out to the news anchors for being patient with him as he took over the limelight for just a few minutes.

Christopher's favorite moment though was when he received his medal and trophy for walking. He was so very proud of them that even two weeks later as I write this he still wants to wear his medal.

As a parent I was able to re-kindle some old friendships and make some new acquaintances. As an advocate for my son it was a realization of how much work still needs to be done in this community, in raising awareness and acceptance for our children.

The most memorable moment for me at this year's Buddy walk was the attendance of a family that lost their son in a tragic accident. We all could feel her pain, and grief. Though her son is no longer with her she continues to advocate for Down syndrome because she knew how very special each and every one of them are; and how very blessed we are to have them in our lives.

My son was proud to be a part of this year's Buddy Walk. I thank everyone for their hard work and dedication in providing it for us. The Buddy walk this year was the start of a new journey for Christopher and his family. Buddy walks are popping up in many different communities. Next year we will see even more! I encourage everyone that is reading this to plan on attending one. I encourage everyone to include those that are not currently active in voicing for Down syndrome to attend. You will be pleasantly surprised at how much these children and adults are just like their typical peers, and how much fun you will have.

Ten Helpful Hints to Keep in Mind for a Great Buddy Walk®

2011-08-22T10:52:00.000-07:00

Today's guest blogger is Patricia Baker, NDSS Program Coordinator, who has some advice to offer Buddy Walk® organizers:

Something to consider when planning an important event such as your Buddy Walk, is if you take care of the little things, the big things will take care of themselves. Here are ten helpful hints to keep in mind for the preparation and execution of a great Buddy Walk:

1. Update your Buddy Walk website

Is the information on your site current and accurate? Add new entertainment or other exciting details as you get closer to the date. This is where people will be looking for the most updated Walk information and you want to keep them engaged.
Make sure that NDSS has your most updated Walk information. Inform us if there is a change in date or venue.

2. Order any rentals needed for the Walk at least one month before (e.g. tents, tables, portable restrooms).

3. Have all insurance and other permits beforehand.

Does your Walk location require permits for food, selling items, holding an event etc? Are there recycling requirements?
Make sure you have all of this in place before the event and keep a copy on hand the day of, just in case.

4. Have at least one other person look over the design and text of sponsor letters, t-shirts, etc. before sending to NDSS for approval. A fresh set of eyes can catch things you might miss.

5. Make sure you stay on top of managing your volunteers.

Reach out to your volunteers at least two weeks before the Walk to make sure they are still able to help the day of the event. This way you can fill in any gaps if any of them have to cancel. Take this opportunity to give each volunteer an idea of his or her duties.
Appoint an experienced volunteer coordinator. This will free you up to concentrate on other things. The volunteer coordinator should pair a seasoned volunteer with younger or inexperienced volunteers for supervision and to ensure things go smoothly.
Keep a contact list for volunteers on site.

6. Before your event, check what AV equipment you and the entertainment might need.

What is available on site? Are backup generators, microphones or heavy duty extension cords needed? What will the entertainment provide if anything?
This should be set up and tested first thing and early the day of the Walk.

7. Manage onsite registration to ensure that it runs quickly and efficiently.

Have a volunteer hand out clipboards to people waiting on line. This way the registration form is already filled out when they get to the table and allows them to be processed smoother and faster and enjoy the day sooner!

8. Keep a First Aid Kit on hand and have a volunteer or information person responsible for handling.

Make sure all volunteers know where a participant can get aid and put a chair in that location in case someone needs medical attention.

9. Have volunteers keep an eye out for older people who might need a seat and/or water, especially if it's hot.

10. Be your own critic!

Make mental/written notes during the event or the next day of what worked and what things can be improved. Start your 2012 Buddy Walk file early while the 2011 Walk is still fresh in your memory!

Buddy Walk Wednesday: My Great Story Edition

2011-08-17T07:29:00.000-07:00

Each Wednesday during Buddy Walk season, we will post a shout out to the weekend's upcoming Walks on Twitter (follow us @NDSSBuddyWalk!). In keeping with the Wednesday theme, Buddy Walk Wednesdays on the blog are the perfect time to share My Great Story public awareness campaign submissions from the Buddy Walk section! The My Great Story campaign seeks to ignite a new way of thinking about people with Down syndrome by sharing stories by people with Down syndrome and their family members, friends, teachers, coworkers and many others. One section within the campaign is dedicated exclusively to sharing Buddy Walk stories!

Visit ndss.org/stories to view the rest of the collection and to share your Buddy Walk story!

Submitting your Buddy Walk story to the My Great Story campaign is a great way to preserve your Walk memories, and the voting and commenting features allow for an interactive experience between participants from different Walks. If you're interested in promoting the My Great Story campaign at your Buddy Walk, please contact Jordana Stern, NDSS Communications Associate, at jstern@ndss.org.

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Finding the Treasure
Kelli Webber, Baton Rouge, LA

My name is Kelli Webber, and I work in the Office of Orientation at Louisiana State University. I am also the proud advisor of the LSU Ambassadors, a student organization on campus whose mission is to recruit, orient and advise incoming students. All of my students were able to share my pregnancy with me, and I knew that my son would always have a special place in their hearts. However, I could have never have imagined the special gift they would give our family.

While I was on maternity leave, my students made a video for me to watch. As the video played, I was greeted by several of my students sending us well wishes, saying how much they missed me, and talking about how excited they were to meet Parish. Each message touched my heart immensely. I was flabbergasted at the amount of time they had spent on this video - time away from so many other commitments they had, time they made for our family and our new son. At the end of each clip, each Ambassador said, We are finding the treasure in each Parish. I thought that was such a sweet play on his name, and I giggled at their creativity.

However, at the end of the video, an even more special gift was revealed. All the while, I simply assumed that, We are finding the treasure in each Parish was a cute tag line they created for the video, but I could have never imagined the deeper, more meaningful significance of those words. At the end of the video, it was explained that each of my students had reached out to their friends and families all over the state of Louisiana to raise funds for the National Down Syndrome Society in Parish's name. Hence finding "treasure" in each parish. They even created a T-shirt to sell in order to raise even more funds in Parish's name. Their plan was to wear those shirts as they participated in the National Down Syndrome Society's Buddy Walk® in Baton Rouge. As I listened to them explain what their plans were, tears welled up in my eyes and streamed down my face. My heart became so full that I thought it would explode in my chest. I could not believe that these students had taken the time and gone to such great lengths to do something like this for my family, for my Parish. Even now as I type this I am overwhelmed and humbled by their gesture. There are no words to express the gratitude that is in my heart.

You see, we were unaware of Parish's diagnosis until he was born. Parish was born with cataracts, thyroid issues and liver troubles. Truth be told, we had not had much time to even digest that he also had Down syndrome. But in one fell swoop, my LSU Ambassadors introduced us to an amazing community of support in our town. They gave a gift to our family that we will not soon forget.

10 Things You Should Do With Your Facebook Page

2011-08-10T10:30:00.000-07:00

Jennifer Paganessi, our first guest blogger, is the Principal Graphic Designer of JL Design and the chair for the Chicagoland Buddy Walk. She is also the proud mom of Ella (6) and Brandon (9) who has Down syndrome. She can be reached at info@jl-design.com.

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The way we advertise has changed. Currently there are 750 million active users on Facebook so this is not a market you should ignore. This type of advertising is great for non-profits, it's cheap. It mostly takes time and a little learning of the program. Below are just a few ideas on how to improve your page once you have it up and running.

#1 - Fan Page

If you have been using a group for your walk you should change over to a fan page. Group activity doesn't flow into the daily newsfeed and they are going to be phased out. Be sure to let everyone know you are moving and put in your about box that you have moved to a fan page with the link.

#2 - Be social

The most important thing to remember is this is a social network. Interact with your walkers. Add personality… everyone likes to talk to people and not stiff corporate bots. Walks are all about family and friends getting together so it's ok to be a little informal and have a personality.

#3 - Number of posts

You need to be active to keep your feed popular and to keep your walk fresh in the mind of your participants. Ideally you should at least be doing 1-2 posts a week, and then at least 3-5 a week when it gets closer to the walk. It's important to not post too much or you risk fans either un-liking you or hiding your feed.

#4 - Use Pictures

Add a picture to your status update. It will attract more attention in the feed and will also give that personal connection. It's also important to crop and center the picture before you post it. You will get more attention if the reader can tell what the picture is.

#5 - Contests

Contests are a great way to get your walkers involved. Currently the Chicagoland Buddy Walk is hosting a video contest. We have asked our walkers to create a video about why they walk and why it's import to them. We asked them to tag or post their video to our page. You can do a contest for the most 'likes' or what we are doing is putting everyone who submits something into a raffle for a goodie basket.

#6 - Use Facebook ads/sponsored stories

Facebook ads are great way to find new walkers. You can have the ads show only to local residents and target certain keywords. So it's marketing dollars spent targeting your audience!

#7 - Use all of your profile picture.

With the new Facebook format you can use a longer profile picture (180p x 540p). Be sure to use that extra space for advertising. Be creative but also remember to keep your logo in a square so that you can crop it nicely for your thumbnail. Here is an example of the current Chicagoland Walk with advertising for our video contest.

#8 - Keep your wall open

It's good to let people interact with you and with other walkers so leave commenting and posting turned on. Encourage interaction. Use Facebook's poll feature to answer polls about what they want at the walk.

#9 - Link your page

Make sure to link your page to your main web site and your web site to your Facebook page. Also be sure to add the link to every email you send and all other communications. Getting users to connect via Facebook is ideal, you can communicate on a daily basis with them. You can also add an email sign up tab on your Facebook Page.

#10 - Thank Sponsors

Be sure to use your Facebook Page to thank sponsors. Post it on your status update and tag the company's Facebook page. You can do that by liking their page and then using the '@' symbol in your post. Their name should pop up when you type the "@".

#11 - unique URL

Ok this one is a bonus tip :) Once you have 25 'likes' you can create a custom url for your page to make it easier for others to find you. For example we use facebook.com/chicagolandbuddywalk. This can be set under the basic Information tab in the edit page section.

This is obviously a start and there is so much you can do with your Facebook page. I would recommend "liking" the Social Media Examiner for even more great tips on how to use your Facebook page. Overall have fun with it and you will see it catch on. If you have questions just let me know.

Good Luck and keep posting about your walk!

Jennifer

Introducing the Buddy Walk® blog!

2011-07-18T11:56:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the NDSS Buddy Walk® blog. I hope that you will come back here frequently to find out the latest information on the Buddy Walk program. In addition to hearing from Buddy Walk staff, you’ll hear from Walk organizers and other guest bloggers. Have something specific you want to learn about? Let us know!

July is a busy month for the Buddy Walk at NDSS. Here is some of the stuff we’ve been up to these past two weeks. Our Information and Referral team, including self-advocates Chris Burke and Carson Goodwin, have been mailing posters, PSAs and NDSS brochures to the organizers that requested them. Our Communications team is putting the finishing touches on our brand new Buddy Walk Social Media Guide and I just scheduled a webinar for all Buddy Walk organizers – on Social Media.

The Social Media webinar will be run by one of our preferred vendors, Charity Dynamics, on Wednesday, August 3 at 12:00PM ET (please note the date change!). During this webinar, we will explore ways to leverage the power of social media for your programs, events, and campaigns to expand your reach while building awareness and engagement among your supporters. With so many social media options, we’ll discuss strategies to help you choose the right channels, strategically plan your messaging and tactics, target the right timing, and analyze your results.

To sign up for the webinar, click here.

This blog will be a resource for comprehensive topics related to the Buddy Walk. My goal is to update it at least twice per month. For those looking to stay even more closely connected to the Buddy Walk. I invite you to join our “real time” conversation on Facebook and on Twitter.

Thanks for your passion, loyalty and commitment to people with Down syndrome. And, thanks for joining me on this new blog-venture!

Your Buddy,

Becky

Rebecca Switalski

National Buddy Walk Director

National Down Syndrome Society

877-526-0270

440-323-1867 (fax)

rswitalski@ndss.org