Buddy Walk at Price Park: What You Need to Know

The fifth annual National Down Syndrome Society’s Buddy Walk is planned for Saturday morning North Canton's Price Park.

Registration starts at 9 a.m. and the walk begins at 10 a.m. In between, there will be a DJ supplying music, coffee for the adults and milk for the kids, along with snacking waffles that can be eaten right out of the package.

After the walk, there will be hot dogs, more music, face painting, a North Canton fire truck and will be there for photos, bouncy houses and crafts for the kids.

All in all, according to Randy Wharton, co-coordinator, the event usually goes on close to noon with people staying around after the walk to network and talk. A portion of the proceeds will go to the National Down Syndrome Society with the remainder going to an organization, Reece’s Rainbow, that helps find families for orphans with Down syndrome.

The national organization provides much-needed research, support, medical news and advocacy for people, including kids, teens and adults, with Down syndrome. Both coordinators for this year’s event, Wharton and Brett Kush, have young children with Down syndrome. Wharton’s daughter is 5 years old and Kush’s daughter is 2.

“National statistics say that 1 in 900 children are born with Down syndrome,” Kush said.

“The second charity we are walking for this year helps cover some of the adoption fees involved with adopting children with Down syndrome. We have three families from around Northeast Ohio that are in the process of adopting that we will be helping.”

Kush said they are projecting 200 to 300 people participating this year in the one-mile walk. This is the first year people can register in advance online and they are hoping that increases registration and donations.

While the walk has been going on for the past five years, this is the first year that Wharton and Kush have been coordinators and it is Kush’s first year to walk.

“Randy and I are  friends and he approached me to help him out and we are learning as we go,” Kush said.

It's now Wharton's third year walking.

“My first walk was when my daughter was only three or four weeks old," he said.

To register for the walk, to buy a T-shirt, to donate or for more information, visit www.northcantonbuddywalk.org. Participants can also register the day of the event at Price Park.

Facts about Down syndrome (according to www.ndss.org)

• There are more than 400,000 people living with Down syndrome in the United States.
• Down syndrome occurs in people of all races and economic levels.
• Life expectancy for people with Down syndrome has increased in the last few decades from age 25 in 1980 to age 60 today.
• People with Down syndrome attend school, work, participate in decisions that affect them and contribute to society in many ways.

Find out more about Kush and Wharton in this North Canton Patch update.