Step Up For Down Syndrome
Midway Pavilion, Como Park, St. Paul, MN
Sunday, September 26th, 2010
Check in begins at 10:30, Walk starts at Noon
This will be the Thirteenth Annual Walk held by the Down Syndrome Association of Minnesota. Last year over 5000 people participated in the St. Paul Walk.
It is not a requirement to raise funds, but we encourage you to gather pledges or make a donation. If you choose to gather pledges, please make sure that people know that their donation is tax deductible. If your donor’s employer has a matching grant program that can double their gift!
Please join us in making this year’s Step Up for Down Syndrome Walk another great success!
To view a layout of the park (pdf) click here.
Registration
Click here to register online or call our office at (651) 603-0720 or (800) 511-3696.
It is important to register, as we need to have an accurate number for our food order. This number also helps when the media wants to know how many people are participating in the Walk.
New this year
Gluten free lunches will be provided by request for those with Celiac disease or gluten intolerance. The lunches will be provided by Mad Woman Foods in Minneapolis.
T-Shirts
In order to keep this event free and to put more of the money raised towards the Down Syndrome Association of MN’s programs and services, t-shirts will be $5 each this year. The cost of t-shirts has been the single largest expense of the Walks year after year.
Another option that some folks have taken is to design their own t-shirts. With more and more people forming teams, the trend has been to design a unique shirt for each team to wear.
Gather Pledges!
Ask your friends, neighbors, co-workers and family members to lend their support by sponsoring you for the Walk. Click here to download the Walk Packet.
Ask your company if they match donations – this is a terrific way to double your donation.
Be sure to tell sponsors that their donation is tax deductible. Mark down sponsors’ addresses on the enclosed pledge sheet and collect their donations at the time they pledge.
Checks should be made out to “DSAM”.
We are encouraging you to mail or bring pledge money to the Down Syndrome Association office in the weeks before the Walk. If you can do this it would help speed things up at check-in and make it easier for our on-site security people. If that’s not possible, the donations may be dropped off at the check-in table on September 20th.
Online Fundrasing
Please visit our fundraising page on GreaterGiving. It can be found at: dsamn.ejoinme.org/StepUp2010. Through this link, you can create your own free personal fundraising page in less than 5 minutes and start raising money faster than through offline efforts. You can include a personal message, an optional photo (or choose an image already available on the site), and a personalized web address for your page. After your site is up and running, your supporters can be emailed with the address to your site. If they want to lend their support to you and the Step Up for Down Syndrome Walk they will appreciate being able to make a secure donation through the GreaterGiving program.
Create a Team
Form your own team to walk together in the Walk. Choose people from your workplace, family, classmates of your children, neighbors and friends who want to show their support for people with Down syndrome. Some teams make a team t-shirt – so their team will stand out as they walk together. If you have questions about forming a team please call our office.
Food &
The Self-Advocate committee is once again holding a food drive at the Step Up for Down Syndrome Walk. Committee members will be gathering your food donations at the Walk and then delivering them to the following agencies after the Walk: Sabathani in
We will also be holding a sock drive again this year. Please bring a new pair of socks to donate. Child and adult sizes are needed. All socks collected will be donated to Catholic Charities.
Please see the list below of various items that the food shelves are in need of. Please bring your donation to the Walk only. Look for the van with the food collection sign!
Thank you in advance for your donations!
Self-Advocate Committee
- Neighborhood House, Items needed
- Sabathani, Items needed (coming soon)
- Catholic Charities, Items needed - children, adults, families
Step Into the Spotlight
Back by popular demand is the Step Into the Spotlight tent, a special area showcasing the accomplishments and talents of those with Down syndrome. The Step Into the Spotlight tent will be assembled in the picnic area for participants to peruse before or after the walk. Observers will be amazed by the achievements local people with Down syndrome have made, as the tent will reveal that disability need not limit one’s other abilities. We truly are more alike than different. What types of stories are we looking for? We are seeking out a variety of accomplishments, so it’s really up to you to decide what sorts of achievements you or someone you know with Down syndrome would like to highlight. Some examples may include:
- Participating on a sports team over the summer
- Moving out of the parents’ place
- Getting a new job
- Earning a personal best on the most recent spelling test
- Completing an expedition with a scouts group
- Finally reaching the next belt status in karate
The purpose of the tent is to serve as an extension to the goal of the annual walk: to celebrate our family members and friends with Down syndrome and to highlight the notion that their ability to succeed is the same as everybody else’s. If you or someone you know has a story and something to contribute to the display (photos, trophies, and other evidence of the accomplishment), please fill out the sign up sheet today!
Parking and Transportation
Free off-site parking will be available at
Free transportation will be provided by Twin City Trolley’s from
Directions
For directions to Como Park and Bandana Square, follow the links below: