Willamette Valley Down Syndrome Association · P.O. Box 8098 · Salem, OR 97303

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Welcome to WVDSA!

Welcome to the Willamette Valley Down Syndrome Association. Our goal is to provide support for families in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, and surrounding areas, who find themselves in the delightful position of raising a child with Down syndrome. Initially, there are so many questions and concerns you may have when you become parents of a child with Down syndrome - the kind of questions that can only be answered by other parents who have “been there, done that!” – but we also hope to provide information in many other areas. If we can’t answer your questions, hopefully we can point you in the right direction to find those answers!

 Upcoming Events

THE Buddy Walk IS COMING. Saturday, September 27, 2008 at 10 AM.

Registration will start July 1, 2008.

This year marks our 10th annual Buddy Walk and we have Rachel from Signing Time joining us!
Registration at the park will start at 10:00am; we encourage online registration to expedite the process. In addition, this year on Friday night, September 26, there will be a Signing Time concert in Salem/Keizer. Tickets will be $5.00 for the concert or the Buddy Walk. One ticket will allow you to get in to either event or both of them.

We have meetings for July, August & September for the planning committee. Those interested in helping with the planning can contact Patie Taylor at pataylortie@juno.com

Buddy Walk meetings for 2008 will be held at 6:00 PM at the Harrington’s in Keizer on the following dates:

July 15
July 29
August 12
August 26
September 23

Additionally, there will be a meeting on September 9 at 6:00pm at Riverfront Park in Salem.

 Announcements

Check out the ORPTI meetings scheduled for your area by looking at our Upcoming Events Page or through their website. www.orpti.org

Mt Hood Kiwanis Camp
Sessions start in June and runs through August
M Hood Kiwanis Camp offers children, ages 9 and up, and adults with disabilities an opportunity to leave behind their routine lives and taste the freedom of the outdoors - to go beyond limits that they, and others, have set for them. They provide a caring, welcoming environment where campers are challenged to do their best, yet their special and personal needs are met. Registration is now open. Link to Mt Hood Kiwanis Camp Website

Challenge Air for Kids and Friends
Challenge Air for Kids and Friends is a not-for-profit organization that offers motivational, inspirational and life-changing experiences to physically challenged children and youth through aviation. Registration is now open for their event scheduled at the airfield in Aurora, on August 9, 2008. Link to Challenge Air

2008 Buddy Cruise
FRIENDS-Support Inc. will be teaming up with Cruise Planners to host the first of its kind Down syndrome awareness cruise aboard Royal Caribbean. The event is designed to provide an opportunity for families from across America to come together and bring awareness to one of the most frequently occurring chromosomal variations, as well as to promote inclusion for individuals with Down syndrome.

The Buddy Cruise will feature the talent of Sujeet Desai a 26-year-old accomplished musician born with Down syndrome. He and his wife Carrie have been featured in Wall Street Journal, Time magazine, and have aired on national TV shows such as The View, 20/20, and The Oprah Winfrey show.

Emily Perl Kingsley, a writer and activist for children with special needs, will also be joining us to keynote this historic voyage. Her experiences with her son Jason (an actor with Down syndrome) inspired her to include people with disabilities into the Sesame Street cast. She has received 17 Emmy Awards and 13 Emmy nominations for her work on SESAME STREET and is the author of "Welcome to Holland".

Also joining us will be Nikole Whitehead, co-founder of the STatewide Advocacy Network on Disabilities, Inc. (STAND), an organization dedicated to assisting parents in navigating the special education system. Mrs. Whitehead has presented at conferences across Florida such as The Family CAFÉ, Partners in Policymaking, as well as serving as a resource member to the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council. She is a past Board member of the national Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA).

One of FRIENDS goals is to open a center devoted to providing care, support, and educational resources to individuals with Down syndrome and their families. All funds raised during the Buddy Cruise event will be used towards the organizations vision.

Sail date: October 17, 2008
Ship: Royal Caribbean's ~Sovereign of the Seas
Itinerary: Port Canaveral Fl , Nassau, Bahamas, Coco Cay (private island), Port Canaveral
Questions e-mail: joinus@buddycruise.com
To reserve: Sherry Leybovich ECCS, CTA 888-464-1827or sherry@cruisesforu.com