Step Up For Down Syndrome
Thank you to everyone who helped make this years Step Up for Down Syndrome Walk a success!
Thank you to our sponsors:
(click on images above to visit our Gold Sponsor's websites!)
Opal Services
Mark & Mary Maher “Keep on Paddling”
Dani Jorgenson’s Papa & Nana
Kraus Anderson Construction Company
Americ Disc USA - Minnesota, Inc.
American Family Insurance Pamela Petersen Agency
Sunday, September 20th - Midway Picnic Pavilion
Como Park, St. Paul
Check in begins at 10:30, Walk starts at Noon
Deadline Extended!
This will be the Twelfth Annual Walk held by the Down Syndrome Association of Minnesota. Last year over 5000 people participated in the St. Paul Walk.
The Step Up for Down Syndrome Walk (formerly Buddy Walk) is the Down Syndrome Association of Minnesota’s single most important source of financial support. Due to your efforts, we have raised thousands of dollars to support Association activities, such as our regional conference, grandparent and youth & adult conferences, financial support for our 25 parent groups, new and expectant parent packets, books and videos for new and expectant parents and more.
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!
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.
Deadline Extended!
T-shirts – If you register by August 28th!
You may order a free t-shirt for each person that you register before August 21st. Simply indicate the number of people you are registering and the shirt size. Shirts will not be available after the cut-off date of August 21st.
We ask that you be responsible and not order more shirts than you need. Also, be sure to pick up the shirts at the Walk. Unfortunately we have had too many shirts unclaimed after recent Walks and we want to eliminate this waste. Help us with this so we can continue to present participants with free t-shirts.
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.
If you do not want t-shirts, simply check the box that indicates no shirts to be ordered.
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.
Exciting Fundraising
Please visit our fundraising page on FirstGiving. It can be found at: www.firstgiving.com/dsamn. 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 Firstgiving 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
Committee member David Forney is also organizing a sock drive for those in need. 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 Members,
Lori Turbenson, David Forney, Tom Belka, Jake Walinski, Nayef Albinali & JT McElhatton
- Neighborhood House, Items needed
- Sabathani, Items needed (coming soon)
- Catholic Charities, Items needed - children, adults, families
New this year!
Step Into the Spotlight
Beginning this year, the Step Up for Down Syndrome walk will feature 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