5th Annual Buddy Walk by the Sea this Sunday!

Falmouth, MA – On Sunday July 26, 2015, hundreds of champions in the Down syndrome community will come together at Falmouth Marine Park for the MDSC’s 5th Annual Buddy Walk by the Sea.

The event is expected to bring together about 400 people, including individuals with Down syndrome, family members and friends throughout southeastern Massachusetts, including the Cape and Islands. The event will raise both awareness about Down syndrome and critical funds to support programs and advocacy work.

Registration includes walk festivities, event t-shirt, and light refreshments. The Buddy Walk by the Sea is morning, harborside celebration that includes a light breakfast, children’s activities, a one-mile pledge walk, family entertainment, networking opportunities with local disability organizations, and a chance to talk to MDSC Self-Advocate Ambassadors.

Special guests to include Congressman Bill Keating and Rep. David Vieira, both of whom have been integral to passing disability legislation on Capitol Hill and Beacon Hill.

This year’s theme, “The World Is Ours,” represents the full range of opportunities available for our loved with Down syndrome to have a meaningful, fulfilling life. It means that people with Down syndrome are taking ownership over all aspects of their lives - education, health care, employment, public policy, housing, and recreation. The World Is Ours has special meaning this year as three major pieces of legislation helping our community passed recently - the National Background Check Bill, Real Lives Bill, and ABLE Act. MDSC has been championing these bills for years, and their passage will make a difference in many aspects of our loved ones’ lives.

The public can register at www.mdsc.kintera.org/bwbythesea2015

Schedule of Events
10am- Registration, Light Breakfast & Pre-Walk Festivities, including Atlantic Ave. Band
11am- 12:30pm - 1.2 Mile Walk, Post-Walk Refreshments, Raffle Wrap-up

Additional Highlights include:

• Exhibits by MDSC First Call, MDSC Grandparents, Heartbeats for Down Syndrome, International Mosaic Down Syndrome Association,Project Forward at Cape Cod Community College, Chris May Photography, Mulcahy Family Chiropractic, SafetyNet by LoJack and YMCA Cape Cod

Funds from the walk allow the MDSC to invest in and expand our range of model programs, including Parents First Call, Advocates in Motion, Self Advocate Advisory Council, Annual Conference, Educators Forum, Allen Crocker Self-Advocate Internship Program and advocacy and public awareness initiatives.

Families will be attending from throughout the Cape and Islands. Contact the MDSC at jkomyerov@mdsc.org to be put in touch with a family in your coverage area!

About the MDSC

The MDSC offers a broad array of programs to serve people with Down syndrome and their families throughout the state, including: our signature Parent’s First Call Program, a volunteer, state-wide group of trained parent mentors available 24/7 that is a national model; two major annual conferences that draw national and international experts in their fields; a Buddy Walk® Program that includes 3 Buddy Walks throughout the state; Self-Advocate Programs like Advocates in Motion and our Self-Advocate Advisory Council, which provide opportunities for teens and adults with Down syndrome while making empowerment a central component.