Tuesday, October 2, 2012
October is National Down Syndrome Awareness Month
Can we raise an additional $50,000 online by the end of this October, National Down Syndrome Awareness Month? I believe we can! In order to do this, we only need 200 of our 238 fundraisers to raise $250.00. Sound hard? It’s not; and here’s how we can raise the money and have a huge positive impact on Down Syndrome Indiana:
How to Raise $250 in Only Ten Days
Day 1. Make your own $25 contribution = $25
Day 2. Ask your significant other to also contribute $25 = $50
Day 3. Ask your Mom and Dad to contribute $25 = $75
Day 4. Ask your best friend to contribute $25 = $100
Day 5. Ask your boss to contribute $25 = $125
Day 6. Ask your best friend at work to contribute $25 = $150
Day 7. Ask your sister or brother to contribute $25 = $175
Day 8. Ask your in-laws to contribute $25 = $200
Day 9. Ask a neighbor to contribute $25 = $225
Day 10. Ask a businessperson you support to contribute $25 = $250
Did you know that in the 2013 budget, DSI has to double the amount of money it spends on New Parent Packets because DSI is reaching so many new families? It’s true thanks to your help!
Get Involved. Be Inspired,
Lisa Wells, Executive Director
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Buddy Walk 2012
Everyone at Down Syndrome Indiana could not be more excited, and we hope that your family and friends will join us as we celebrate and promote the acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome within our community!
We will gather, once again, in Celebration Plaza of White
River State Park on Saturday, October 13th. Registration will open
at 9:00am, with the walk beginning at noon. While you are waiting for the walk
to begin, please feel free to experience some the exciting activities
throughout the park. There will be an enlightening Information Tent, awesome
performances by Chris Burke and local artists, and exhilarating hot-air balloon
rides that are sure to provide awe-inspiring views of the Buddy Walk®!
If you have not already assembled a team of walkers and
would like to do so, please use this link to start registering yourself and team members. Should you have any
issues, this short video provides a step-by-step guide in registering yourself and others.
For more information on this year’s walk, schedule of
events, or how to get involved, please visit Down SyndromeIndiana’s Buddy Walk® website. If you have
specific questions I would be happy to help any way that I can. Please direct
all inquiries to buddywalk@dsindiana.org.
We are also in need of volunteers for the day. If you are
interested in volunteering for the Buddy Walk®, we would be honored to have you
be a part of our big day. Please contact Jessica Hadsell at 317-925-7617 or buddywalk@dsindiana.org for more information about volunteer opportunities.
Thank you so much for your continued dedication and
support; we appreciate everything you do.
I look forward to seeing you all at the Buddy Walk® -
let’s make 2012’s walk the biggest and best yet!
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Journey to Success: Down Syndrome Through the Lifespan
Don’t miss this opportunity right here in central Indiana so please take a moment to review the conference topics and presenters that include keynote speaker Michael Remus, Dr. Mary Ciccarelli of CYACC, John Dickerson, Executive Director of the Arc of Indiana, Cindy Cobb, and Joe Meares, D.A.D.S. National just name a few!
Event: Journey to Success: Down Syndrome Through the Lifespan will occur on Sep 28, 2012 at 8:30am to 4:30pm
Location: Wyndham Indianapolis West Hotel, 2544 Executive Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46241
Description: Cost: 99 Note: additional family scholarships for registration and lodging are available. See page 11 of brochure: http://www.utsprokids.org/journeytosuccess.asp
Location: Wyndham Indianapolis West Hotel, 2544 Executive Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46241
Description: Cost: 99 Note: additional family scholarships for registration and lodging are available. See page 11 of brochure: http://www.utsprokids.org/journeytosuccess.asp
“Journey to Success: Down Syndrome Through the Lifespan Scholarship Application Form
Two different scholarships are available for Journey to Success: Down Syndrome Through the Lifespan due to the generosity of the Russell Best Family and Consumer Investment Funding which was obtained from theGovernor's Council for People with Disabilities. One or both parents can each apply for both scholarships.
1. Conference fee scholarship: provides $75 (approximately 75%) of the $99 conference registration fee. Which comes out to a $24 conference fee after you do the math!
2. Lodging scholarship: covers the room rate and applicable taxes to stay at the host hotel on the evening of September 27, 2012. You must reside at least 50 miles from the conference site to receive the lodging scholarship.”
Value: 7 (7 instructional hours or .7 credential units)
Keynote speaker Michael Remus will share some memories and experiences that will continue to enrich his life forever. He will share his stories of getting his two sons with disabilities what they needed and yet do it with a sense of humor and with the passion that the audience has for their sons and daughters.
Contact: www.registration@utsprokids.org
More Info: www.utsprokids.org
Value: 7 (7 instructional hours or .7 credential units)
Keynote speaker Michael Remus will share some memories and experiences that will continue to enrich his life forever. He will share his stories of getting his two sons with disabilities what they needed and yet do it with a sense of humor and with the passion that the audience has for their sons and daughters.
Contact: www.registration@utsprokids.org
More Info: www.utsprokids.org
Thursday, August 23, 2012
TAKE ACTION!
Dear Down Syndrome Indiana families,
I am writing to you today on a very important matter to the
Down syndrome community, the ABLE Act. This is the most important piece of
legislation to be introduced in years. As a parent of a child with Down
syndrome, please take a moment to contact Senator Dan Coats and encourage him
to support the ABLE Act. Below is sample text that you can use:
SAMPLE
LETTER
The
Honorable Dan Coats
United
States Senate
493
Russell Office Bldg.
Washington,
D.C. 20510
Today’s Date
Dear
Senator Dan Coats,
As
a resident of Indiana that cares about individuals with a disability and their
well-being, I am writing to you today to ask you to co-sponsor the Achieving a
Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act of 2011 (S. 1872/H.R. 3423).
The
ABLE Act, when enacted into law, will give people with Down syndrome and their
families the ability to save for the future just like every other American
family. Currently, barriers to employment, independent living, and ultimately,
economic self-sufficiency, exist because individuals with Down syndrome and
other disabilities must rely on services like Medicaid and Supplemental
Security Income (SSI) proved, however, to qualify for these services
individuals with Down syndrome may not have more than $2,000 in assets, and
earn no more than $674 in a monthly income.
The
ABLE Act will eliminate barriers to work and saving by preventing dollars saved
through ABLE accounts from counting against an individual’s eligibility for any
federal benefits program. The legislation also contains Medicaid fraud
protection against abuse and Medicaid pay-back provision when the beneficiary
passes away. The ABLE Act has been endorsed by over 50 national disability,
religious, and nonprofit organizations. By cosponsoring and passing the ABLE
Act, you will give more individuals with a disability and their families the
ability to save for their child’s future just like every other American family!
Sincerely,
[Insert
your name and contact info]
Thank you so much for taking the time to make your voice heard!
P.S. Down Syndrome Indiana will also have preprinted
postcards on this topic that you can sign and send in at the Buddy Walk® on
October 13th. Look for them in the info tent!
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Journey to Success: Down syndrome through the Lifespan on Sept. 28
Don’t miss this
opportunity right here in central Indiana so please take a moment to review the
conference topics and presenters that include keynote speaker Michael Remus,
Dr. Mary Ciccarelli of CYACC, John Dickerson, Executive Director of the Arc of
Indiana, Cindy Cobb, and Joe Meares, D.A.D.S. National just name a few!
Event: Journey to Success: Down
Syndrome Through the Lifespan will occur on Sep 28, 2012 at 8:30am to 4:30pm
Location: Wyndham Indianapolis West Hotel, 2544 Executive Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46241
Description: Cost: 99 Note: additional family scholarships for registration and lodging are available. See page 11 of brochure: http://www.utsprokids.org/journeytosuccess.asp
Location: Wyndham Indianapolis West Hotel, 2544 Executive Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46241
Description: Cost: 99 Note: additional family scholarships for registration and lodging are available. See page 11 of brochure: http://www.utsprokids.org/journeytosuccess.asp
“Journey to Success: Down Syndrome Through the Lifespan
Scholarship Application Form
Two different scholarships are available for
Journey to Success: Down Syndrome
Through the Lifespan due to the generosity of the Russell Best Family
and Consumer Investment Funding which was obtained from theGovernor's Council
for People with Disabilities. One or both parents can each apply for both
scholarships.
1. Conference fee scholarship: provides
$75 (approximately 75%) of the $99 conference registration fee. Which comes out to a $24 conference fee
after you do the math!
2. Lodging scholarship: covers the room
rate and applicable taxes to stay at the host hotel on the evening of September 27, 2012. You must reside at
least 50 miles from the conference site to receive the lodging
scholarship.”
Value: 7 (7 instructional hours or .7 credential units)
Keynote speaker Michael Remus will share some memories and experiences that will continue to enrich his life forever. He will share his stories of getting his two sons with disabilities what they needed and yet do it with a sense of humor and with the passion that the audience has for their sons and daughters.
Contact: www.registration@utsprokids.org
More Info: www.utsprokids.org
Value: 7 (7 instructional hours or .7 credential units)
Keynote speaker Michael Remus will share some memories and experiences that will continue to enrich his life forever. He will share his stories of getting his two sons with disabilities what they needed and yet do it with a sense of humor and with the passion that the audience has for their sons and daughters.
Contact: www.registration@utsprokids.org
More Info: www.utsprokids.org
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Buddy Walk® Team Hi-Lite – Lexi Lou’s Whos 2012
Team Lexi Lou's Whos
Having Down syndrome doesn’t mean there’s something wrong. It’s not a disease. Nobody caused it. You can’t catch it. Down syndrome just happens to be something that Alexis was born with, just as she was born with fair skin, blond hair, her daddy's blue eyes, her mama's terrible vision, and a smile that melts the hearts of everyone in our family.
And we walk because we want people to understand that. We wouldn’t change anything about our little girl. Alexis is a normal and healthy 3 year old girl who loves her brothers, music, and pizza (in that order), and happens to have Down syndrome. To us, Alexis is perfectly Alexis.
This isn’t to say that we don’t have challenges. Who doesn’t? People with Down syndrome often have accompanying medical challenges: heart defects, hearing loss, low muscle tone and delays. And thanks to Down Syndrome Indiana, people with Down syndrome and their families have lots of support at their fingertips.
The Buddy Walk raises money for Down Syndrome Indiana, an organization that provides information, support, and advocacy for people with Down syndrome and their families. We will be walking on October 13, 2012 at Celebration Plaza-White River State Park and we welcome anyone to come and walk with us. We appreciate any donation you can make and no donation is too small. (Donating through this website is simple, fast and secure. It is also the most efficient way to support our fundraising efforts.)
With gratitude,
The Smith Family (Jason, Kendra, Nicholas, Blake, and Alexis)
Alexis and I had
the privilege of talking to a few hundred 3rd graders last year about Down
syndrome for the “Everybody Counts” program at the Noblesville schools. One of the first questions asked at some of these talks was,
“What’s wrong with Alexis?” And I was very glad that I could tell them,
“There’s absolutely nothing wrong with Alexis.”
Having Down syndrome doesn’t mean there’s something wrong. It’s not a disease. Nobody caused it. You can’t catch it. Down syndrome just happens to be something that Alexis was born with, just as she was born with fair skin, blond hair, her daddy's blue eyes, her mama's terrible vision, and a smile that melts the hearts of everyone in our family.
And we walk because we want people to understand that. We wouldn’t change anything about our little girl. Alexis is a normal and healthy 3 year old girl who loves her brothers, music, and pizza (in that order), and happens to have Down syndrome. To us, Alexis is perfectly Alexis.
This isn’t to say that we don’t have challenges. Who doesn’t? People with Down syndrome often have accompanying medical challenges: heart defects, hearing loss, low muscle tone and delays. And thanks to Down Syndrome Indiana, people with Down syndrome and their families have lots of support at their fingertips.
The Buddy Walk raises money for Down Syndrome Indiana, an organization that provides information, support, and advocacy for people with Down syndrome and their families. We will be walking on October 13, 2012 at Celebration Plaza-White River State Park and we welcome anyone to come and walk with us. We appreciate any donation you can make and no donation is too small. (Donating through this website is simple, fast and secure. It is also the most efficient way to support our fundraising efforts.)
With gratitude,
The Smith Family (Jason, Kendra, Nicholas, Blake, and Alexis)
Monday, August 13, 2012
6th Annual Fly-in a Huge Success!
The Annual Fly-in on August 4th was a huge success! Together you raised over $17,000
to support the lives of
individuals with Down syndrome! Thanks to Andi Montgomery, Rozie
Montgomery, ALL the folks at Montgomery Aviation and the Fly-in sponsors,
including:
Aloft Strategies
Beck's Hybrids
Celebration
Central
Copper Moon
Entertainment
Denison Parking
Dyer
Construction
Dugdale
Beef
Enterprise
Rental Car
Facer Insurance
Indianapolis Car Exchange
Indianapolis
Executive Airport
Jan's Village
Pizza
Le Dolce Vita
Patisserie
Montgomery
Aviation
Woolpert
Save the date for next year’s fly in
on Saturday, August 3rd! See
you there!
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