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Champaign County Fairgrounds »
Address: Coler Avenue & Fairview Avenue Urbana, IL 61801
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Organized by the Champaign County Down Syndrome Network, the annual Buddy Walk for Down Syndrome will be held Oct. 24 at the Champaign County Fairgrounds from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. This year’s walk is free, and includes a free t-shirt with registration as long as they last.

In addition to the walk, there will be activities such as inflatables, bounce houses, miniature golf, tractors and other similar activities for children and families. Many prizes will be raffled, and tickets can be purchased at the event.

“The walk itself is just a fun day with a small, about a mile walk,” said Ellen Lindsay, president of the Champaign Down Syndrome Network.

Lindsay said the walk this year is different from past events in that it is not just about raising money for the network. Instead, she said the event aims to be more comprehensive.

“Individuals with Down Syndrome want to be accepted for who they are and what they can contribute, not for their differences.” Lindsay said, who said the walk is a way for people without disabilities to interact with those with Down Syndrome to generate understanding. “It helps bring awareness and hopefully some perspective to individuals who don’t understand why we feel as strong as we do about the r-word.”

The Buddy Walk is a free day of family fun with a purpose of educating the community about Down Syndrome and to spread acceptance. “We want to bring awareness that we are more alike than different,” Lindsay said.