COVID-19 Precautions
- We ask that participants wear masks when indoors or in crowded areas where social distancing is not possible, such as at registration. Thank you!
- If you have symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, headache, cough, nausea, etc.), have come into contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, or are awaiting your own COVID-19 test results, please keep everyone safe by staying home.
- We ask that participants wear masks when indoors or in crowded areas where social distancing is not possible, such as at registration. Thank you!
Where to Go
-
Myrick Park
2020 Myrick Park Drive, La Crosse, WI, 54601 -
When you arrive, only ONE member of your team needs to check in and pick up shirts. Everyone else can go right to enjoying the activities!
Parking
- More details coming soon!
Food
- Pre-packaged lunches available for purchase at the event
- Food options are: cheeseburger or hot dog, with chips, banana, and drink.
- Lunches will cost $5 each
- Gluten-free option available
What to Bring
- We will be outside rain or shine so dress for the weather!
- We recommend bringing cash for our amazing raffles!
- Please do NOT bring rollerblades, skates, pets, balloons, glitter, or confetti as these items are strictly prohibited.
Event T-Shirts
- T-shirts are included in your registration fee
- T-shirts are pick up only and will be picked up at the Walk
- You can purchase hoodies and other merch in the store. Those items will be shiped right to the address you provide.
- Virtual Participants will receive a t-shirt directly shipped to the address they provide at registration.
- To promote our theme of unity, we want to encourage all participants to put on their 2021 Walk t-shirts at the Walk on September 26!
21 Showcase
- Before the walk begins, 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! We will also share our 21 Showcase participants on social media this year! Make sure you follow us on Facebook so you don’t miss out. Click here to sign up. Deadline to submit is Friday, September 10!
Virtual Challenges & Drawings
- In June-September, join us on Facebook every second Friday of the month at 12pm for a live video introducing a weekly challenge with an amazing prize! Tune in to see self-advocates, staff, and sponsors introducing fun challenges that YOU can participate in to win! Make sure to follow us on Facebook for the latest updates.
Virtual Event Components
- Although this year's Walk is back in-person, we will have some virtual event components too!
- You also have the option to launch a virtual team and join us as a Virtual Walker!! Virtual Walkers will receive an event t-shirt shipped directly to the address they provide, and they'll have access to our virtual activities and team fundraising pages!
Connect to Facebook Fundraisers
- It's incredibly easy to fundraise on Facebook! After you register for our event, you will have the option to link a Facebook fundraiser to your team on Qgiv. Thermometer totals will be updated automatically as you receive donations thru Facebook fundraisers. Make fundraising extremely easy for your networks!
- Note that you must create your Facebook fundraiser via Qgiv's My Fundraising Dashboard and not directly through Facebook. If you create the fundraiser on Facebook first there is no way to connect your fundraiser to our event.
- If you don't connect to Facebook when setting up your profile, you can connect at a later time. Navigate to your personal fundraising dashboard then click the link to connect your fundraiser to Facebook. The button is located toward the bottom of the personal fundraising dashboard.
Fundraising Incentives & Prizes
- Cash prizes
- $100 for the largest team with the most members wearing the 2021 Walk T-shirt
- $100 for the top fundraising team
- $25 Best Accessory
- The cut-off for donations that qualify for the Top Five Fundraising Prizes is 11:59PM on Saturday, September 25. All cash and check donations must arrive at the DSAW office by noon on Friday, September 24 to qualify. We have fantastic prizes for our top five teams! As a special thank you, the First Place Team will have their child's picture on the DSAW Billboard before the 2022 Awareness Walk! (Past winners from the last two years are NOT eligible to win this prize).
Forming a Team
- Your team can be as large or as small as you want. Plus, your fundraising changes lives. Although fundraising is optional, the difference you make in the lives of more than 5,500 familiess across the state is tremendous. Whether you raise $10 or $10,000, YOU are making a difference for people with Down syndrome and their families in Wisconsin. Remember, fundraising does not have to be scary! Most people are happy to give to a cause that is important to you and your family.
Recruiting Team Members
- Make a list of people you know best - family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, etc. Ask the people on your list to join your team! You could ask them via email, social media, or phone. Explain why it's important to you and your family, and encourage your team to fundraise. Giving them a sample fundraising letter (see below for an idea!) and a picture of your loved one to send to their networks can be incredibly helpful. In addition, remind them that business sponsorships can count towards your team's total!! Ultimately, this process is not just about fundraising: it's about spreading awareness and acceptance of people with Down syndrome.
Fundraising Template
- Fundraising is scary to many people, but it doesn't have to be! It can be as simple as sending an email or posting on social media. Try using this template to ask for donations from your friends and family:
“Dear Friends,
This year, my family has formed a team for the 19th Annal DSAW La- Crosse Down Syndrome Awareness Walk, which will be on Sunday, September 26 at the Myrick Park. The goal of the Walk is to spread awareness and acceptance of Down syndrome throughout Wisconsin, and to raise funds for the Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin's life-changing programs and services. As you may know, this cause is very important to us. [insert personal story]
Would you consider joining our team and/or making a donation to support our team and [insert name of loved one with Down syndrome]? Your donation will have a large impact on thousands of lives in Wisconsin. Please forward this email to your friends and family, too! In addition, if your business would be interested in sponsoring the walk, the funds will count towards our team's total! Visit https://secure.qgiv.com/event/gla21/ to download sponsorship benefits.
Use this link to join our team and make a donation: [insert personal link]
Thank you for supporting Down syndrome awareness! [Your name]”
Fundraising Ideas
- 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, and we have some fun ideas of how to fundraise!
- Host a trivia night with your friends
- Donate your talents! If you are a yoga instructor (or another fitness coach), or have an artsy hobby that you can teach people (knitting, painting, cooking a dish) offer a virtual class for a donation
- "If I raise $____ for DSAW in the next week, I will..."
- Share a video of my kid throwing a pie in my face
- Participate in a viral Tik Tok dance challenge with my kids
- Do 21 minutes of live stand-up comedy on Facebook
- Have my kid give me a hair cut
- "If you donate $___ to my Walk team, I will go one mile in any way you choose!"
- The sky is the limit! If you have other fundraising ideas or use one of these, share with us @DSAWisconsin
Sponsorship Opportunities
- Thank you for your interest in sponsoring this event! If you would like to talk more about sponsorship opportunities, you can email us at info@dsaw.org.