Thank you for visiting our event page. This year, we are participating in a statewide party like NEVER before! Due to the uncertainty regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and the crowd size at our Awareness Walks in the past, DSAW-Chippewa Valley's 14th Annual Down Syndrome Awareness Walk is going mostly VIRTUAL! We are hosting awesome virtual activities all summer long, a virtual program on Walk Day, and we are examining exciting meet up opportunities on Walk Day such as a giant car parade or physically distant Awareness Walk as long as things are safe! If you thought you had fun with us on one day, get ready for our months-long celebration of our friends with Down syndrome and related disabilities!! DSAW families from around the state will be uniting with us to celebrate Down syndrome awareness this year.
We Need You!
Like many organizations, DSAW has been significantly affected by the pandemic. All of our in-person programs and events have been suspended for months, putting services for people with disabilities (the most isolated in our society) at a stand still. In the face of extreme adversity, DSAW pivoted on a dime to provide for our friends with disabilities. Just days after Wisconsin issued its "Safer at Home" order, DSAW launched DSAW Connects, an innovative, virtual education series that:
- Offers 13 classes a day for our friends with disabilities
- Served nearly 200 participants in its spring semester alone
- Provided 640 hours of programming in the first 2 months
Now more than ever, your support of DSAW is crucial. The majority of our programs and events are fully funded by fundraising that takes place at this annual Awareness Walk. We need YOU to come out strong at this Walk, more than ever before. For our staff, for the people we serve, and to ensure a strong and viable future for the DSAW you know and love.
Logistics
In the months leading up to Walk Day (Sunday, September 27), we will be hosting tons of fun online! Join in the fun using the hashtag #DSAWVirtualWalk.
- Online giveaways
- Virtual 21 Showcase
- Weekly challenges with awesome prizes
- In the month of September, we will do a month-long virtual party – each day is a different activity, challenge, or contest for your family!
- The week before the Walk we will have online silent auction items and more exciting surprises.
- Finally, mark your calendars for September 27! Tune in to our statewide pre-walk program and celebration (starting at 10AM) and stay tuned!!
Potential In-Person Activities
We are examining exciting meet up opportunities on Walk Day in the Chippewa Valley such as a giant car parade or physically distant Awareness Walk as long as things are safe! We will continue to evaluate in-person opportunities as the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds. Although we will not be having a family festival this year, we can't wait to celebrate together in any way we can.
If you'd like to learn more about this year's Walk and all of the fun we have planned, check out this informational webinar hosted by DSAW staff.
We highly encourage registration, and there is NO registration fee! By registering for this event, you will be eligible for our giveaways and prizes in the months leading up to the Walk. Make sure you follow the DSAW State Facebook page so you don’t miss out on any of the fun! Check out our page every Friday at 2pm for challenge updates and winners!
Despite the current circumstances, we know our DSAW family is virtually inseparable.
