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Buddy Up With Your Grandchildren!
by Rich Thomaselli
Nationwide Buddy Walks increase attention for Down Syndrome Awareness Month in October
It's time for the National Down Syndrome Buddy Walk — or should we say, walks, with an "s," as in many of them.
While 4,000 participants are expected to gather on Sunday, Sept. 28, in New York City, it is just one of what will be more than 250 Buddy Walks around the country and across the world over the next month.
Established in 1995 by the National Down Syndrome Society to call attention to Down Syndrome Awareness Month in October, the Buddy Walks are one mile in length and just about anybody can walk one.
The 14th annual New York City Buddy Walk will take place on the Great Hill in Central Park, near 106th St. and Central Park West. Prior to the Walk, at 10:30am, a video celebration of past Walks and of children who have Down syndrome will be shown on the giant News Corporation screen in Times Square.
John C. McGinley, National Buddy Walk spokesman, will lead the the New York City Buddy Walk. McGinley, who has appeared in films such as Wall Street and Platoon, portrays Dr. Perry Cox on the TV series Scrubs. His son, Max, 11, has Down syndrome.
Last year, more than 250,000 people participated in a Buddy Walk, helping to raise more than $9.5 million. The Walks are held in Portland, Me., and Portland, Ore. In Rehoboth Beach, Del., and Jensen Beach, Fla. In St. Paul, Minn., St. Louis, Mo., and St. George, Utah. And just about everywhere in between.
To find a Buddy Walk near you, click here.
Read Beverly Beckham's article, Special Needs in the Spotlight, concerning Down syndrome and the presidential election.
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