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The 12th Annual Chester County Buddy Walk® will take place on Sunday, October 14, 2012 at West Goshen Community Park in West Chester, PA. On-site registration for the event will start at 12:30 p.m. on the day of the walk though organizers are encouraging early online registration for participants and sponsorships to make sure there are enough t-shirts to go around.

"“The Buddy Walk® is the CCDSIG’s flagship event — it is our most important fundraiser. Every step we take and every dollar we raise at the Buddy Walk® helps us to provide emotional, educational, and social support to people with Down syndrome, th" - CCDSIG Board member and event chairperson Colleen Brennan [Pre-Approved Quote]

In addition to raising awareness and funds needed to conduct education, advocacy and support services, the Buddy Walk® is a great place to meet other families and learn about Down syndrome. Last year, more than 700 people from Chester County, PA and surrounding areas participated in this family friendly event which includes crafts and games for the kids, magic shows, and tasty and healthy low-cost meals and beverages. At this year’s event, walkers will also enjoy the rhythm and rhymes from Makin’ Music, the excitement of the Pocono Raceway Pace Car and its kid friendly mascot Tricky the Fox and helpful information from community partners.

October is National Down Syndrome Awareness month and the Buddy Walk® annually coincides with the national spotlight and represents an opportunity for the community to come together in support of and participation in a worthy cause. Last year, the Chester County Buddy Walk® was able to raise $43,000, an astounding 23% increase over the previous year. The goal for the Buddy Walk® this year is to raise at least $50,000.

“The Buddy Walk® is the CCDSIG’s flagship event — it is our most important fundraiser,” noted CCDSIG Board member and event chairperson Colleen Brennan. “Every step we take and every dollar we raise at the Buddy Walk® helps us to provide emotional, educational, and social support to people with Down syndrome, their families, and the professionals who serve them. I am truly looking forward to another great Buddy Walk this year that brings our community together for a day of fun, inspiration, and celebration,” added Brennan.

The Buddy Walk® was established by NDSS in 1995 and has grown to be the world's largest and most recognizable Down syndrome awareness program, with over 250 Walks taking place in 50 states and select international countries. Each year 285,000 walkers collectively raise approximately $11.5 million which is used to support local programs and services as well as national advocacy initiatives.

The Buddy Walk is supported by some great celebrities who lend their talent to the program by appearing in the PSA. These include TV Host Nancy O'Dell, TV Host Meredith Vieira, Actor John C. McGinley, Actor and NDSS Goodwill Ambassador Chris Burke, and Actress Andrea Friedman, among others. “It’s very important to raise awareness and make a difference for people with Down syndrome by participating in a Buddy Walk. The focus is not on our disabilities, but on our abilities that count,” said Actor and NDSS Goodwill Ambassador Chris Burke. “At the Buddy Walk, we all walk together.”

The National Buddy Walk Program welcomes participants of all ages and abilities. The goals of the program are to promote acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome and to positively influence local and national policy and practice.

Chester County businesses see the value of the Buddy Walk. Local sponsors include West Chester Soft Pretzel Factory; Pete’s Carwash; Judy’s Healthy Kitchen; Mark Smaltz’s Harley Davidson; Avante Salon and Stream Companies, among others.

The 2012 Buddy Walk National Partners are Regal Entertainment Group, Knology, Okobos, Signing Time, Imagination Movers, VacationRoost and Down Syndrome FootPrint.