Welcome

IMPORTANT NOTICE
We are deeply saddened to report that due to the imminent threat of lightning all day, the Zoo has advised us to cancel the 2024 DSAW Awareness Walk at the Milwaukee County Zoo today. We are sincerely grateful for everyone who supported the event in such an overwhelming way and we will be in-touch with updates as soon as we are able. Join us on October 26th for our rescheduled Halloween Party/Awareness Walk! 

With the support of our generous friends like you, we were able to provide 40,330 hours of direct services, award 48 enrichment grants to families in need around the state, send 58 new and expectant parent packs at no cost to parents who received a Down syndrome diagnosis, and so much MORE (check out the graphic below) in 2023! WOW - thank you! We rely on the incredible support of our community to make DSAW's services happen. The majority of our programs and events are fully funded by this annual Awareness Walk, and we need YOU to help make them happen. Join us!

Click here to donate.

Click here to register for this event.

EARLY T-SHIRT PICKUP HAS ENDED! ALL REMAINING SHIRTS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE ZOO WALK ON SUNDAY! 

Halloween/Awareness Walk Information

Event Schedule

10:00am   

Registration & Family Festival Begins (inflatables, games, prizes, raffles, and more!)

11:30am

21 Showcase & Awards Ceremony

12:30pm

Coordinated Walk around Zoo Walk Area
Families are welcome to stay and picnic
1:00pm Raffle Closes

General Information

Virtual Walker Registration

If you are unable to attend this event in person or would feel more comfortable celebrating from afar, register as a virtual walker! Registration includes a t-shirt shipped directly to the address you provide (USA only). Virtual Walkers must register by August 25 at 10:00 pm.

Food

This event is held in the picnic areas near the Zoo parking lot. We will have stations of pre-packaged snacks throughout the event for you and your families to enjoy! Feel free to either bring a picnic lunch (there is even a competition for Best Picnic Spread!!) or purchase concessions from the Zoo if you would like. You are welcome to stay and picnic even after the DSAW event ends! We also encourage you to bring a filled reusable water bottle to reduce our impact on the environment.

Please click the Event Details button below for all of the information you need regarding this event!

Event Details

Registration Information

Pre-register online until 12pm CST on Friday, September 20, 2024.

Registration includes day-long entry and full access to the Milwaukee County Zoo, parking, Walk, t-shirt, family festival, and snacks.  

Event Cost:

Walk (ages 13+) $25
Walk (ages 3-12) $20
Walk (ages 0-2) Free
Virtual Walkers $21

 

Register by August 25 at 10:00 pm to be guaranteed a t-shirt on Walk Day. 

All participants will receive a t-shirt, however, we try to order EXACT numbers so that no t-shirts are wasted. We may have a limited quantity of extra t-shirts available on Walk Day for those who register after August 25th or on Walk Day, but this is not guaranteed. If you do not receive a t-shirt on Walk Day, we will order you one after the walk!

Pre-registration is strongly encouraged. Registration tables will be located near the Maple Cove and Oak Grove picnic areas. Registration will open at 10:00am. T-shirt tables will be located near registration. Please designate ONE PERSON ONLY from your group or team to check in at registration, turn in all money, and pick up t-shirts.

Team Captains may pick up all team t-shirts early on Thursday, September 19 between 9:00AM-7:00PM, or, Friday, September 20, from 9:00AM-12:00PM at the DSAW office. You can also pick shirts up on Walk Day.

DSAW is located inside Holy Trinity Lutheran Church: 11709 W Cleveland Ave, Suite 2, West Allis, WI 53227

EARLY-BIRD SPECIAL: All teams who register by July 1st will be entered into a drawing to win their team name on their team shirts*! Each person who registers increases your chances. (*NOTE: team name will only be placed on individuals' shirts who register by t-shirt deadline of August 25.)

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Volunteers

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Down Syndrome Awareness Walks Around Wisconsin

This is the event website for our 28th Annual Southeastern WI Down Syndrome Awareness Walk held at the Milwaukee County Zoo, but DSAW hosts Awareness Walks around the state. Click the links for more information on other Down Syndrome Awareness Walks in Wisconsin!

Chippewa Valley 

Fox Cities

Green Bay

La Crosse

South Central

Sheboygan

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Fundraising Prizes Disclaimer

  • The cut-off for donations that qualify for the Top Fundraising Prizes is 5:00 pm on Saturday, September 21st.

2024 Walk Incentives:

Other Raffles, Lotteries, and Team Contests

Early Bird Raffle: July 1, 2024
Get your name on the back of your team's Walk t-shirts!

Individual Walker: September 1, 2024
The individual walker who has raised the most money by this date will win a gift card and a four-pack of Brewers tickets!

21 Showcase Lottery: September 6, 2024
If your loved one's name is drawn, they will move to the front of the line on the red carpet on Walk day!

Walk Day Team Award: September 22, 2024
These winning teams in these categories will receive generous gift cards!
• Top New Team
• Best Picnic Spread
• Best Team Theme

The 21 Showcase & Awards Ceremony

We will host our 21 Showcase where individuals with Down syndrome of ALL ages will get a chance to walk the catwalk in front of their family and friends. Children who are not yet able to walk on their own can walk with a parent, caregiver, or sibling! Each participant will receive a customized poster to carry down the runway.

Register here for the 21 Showcase (Deadline to sign-up: Friday, September 6).

Donor Leaderboard

  • 1 Paul Davis $53,000.00
  • 2 Country Lanes $15,468.00
  • 3 Brady Corp $10,380.44
  • 4 Anonymous $7,248.00
  • 5 Schmidt Flooring $6,130.00
  • 6 Anonymous $5,250.00
  • 7 Anonymous $5,000.00
  • 8 American Family - Benevity $4,093.00
  • 9 Anonymous $3,000.00
  • 10 Dawn Nuoffer $2,101.25
  • 11 Molina Healthcare of Wisconsin, Inc. $1,941.00
  • 12 Country Lanes $1,699.00
  • 13 Anonymous $1,655.85
  • 14 Julie & Jorge Aguilar $1,500.00
  • 15 Alice Kressig $1,130.00
  • 16 LSS Connections $1,000.00
  • 17 Ashley Ehimwenman $1,000.00
  • 18 Scott Olsen $1,000.00
  • 19 Enterprise Mobility $1,000.00
  • 20 Anonymous $1,000.00
View Full Leaderboard

About DSAW

The Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin's mission is to provide support to Wisconsin families and individuals with Down syndrome and related disabilities through awareness, education, information, programs, services, and the exchange of ideas and experiences. We promote the value of those with Down syndrome in our lives and our communities. We continually strive toward full acceptance, full access, full potential, and a full life to make Wisconsin the best supported state for people with Down syndrome and their loved ones. Visit our website to learn more.