Registration for our 2020 Walk is now CLOSED. We look forward to our 2021 Walk!

Thank you for visiting our event page. Due to the uncertainty regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and the crowd size at our Awareness Walks in the past, the Madison Area Down Syndrome Society's 19th Annual Down Syndrome Awareness Walk is going VIRTUAL! 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!! We are hosting awesome virtual activities all summer long, a virtual program on Walk Day, and a giant awareness car parade (see below for details)! MADSS families from all over will be uniting with us to celebrate Down syndrome awareness this year.

Exciting Update - Meet-up & Car Parade (9/27)!

We are thrilled to announce that on Walk Day we will have a meet-up and car parade! We will meet at the Madison Mallards (in the Warner Park parking lot) at 10AM and will be leaving the lot at 10:30AM. Our parade route will lead us toward downtown Madison, around the Capitol Square, to John Nolen, and will disburse at the Beltline Highway. Top Fundraising Teams will lead the procession! To practice safe social distancing, you do not need to check-in upon arrival and can remain in your vehicle.

Decorate your vehicle in Down syndrome awareness colors (blue & yellow)! Wear your MADSS gear or DS swag! Make signs and posters to hang in the window! Use window markers, ribbons, flags, balloons, magnets, 3/21, Acceptance + Inclusion + Opportunity, etc. Be creative!! 

Help MADSS celebrate our individuals with Down syndrome and raise awareness in our community! Invite your family, friends, co-workers, community connections. Everyone is invited! Let's get as many cars as we can and flood the streets! Please fill out this short sign-up form to join us.

***After the parade, check out the Statewide Virtual Walk Program which will be live streamed by Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin (DSAW) on Sunday at 10AM! The video recording will then be available to view on DSAW's Facebook Page by the time you get home!***

We Need You!

Like many organizations, MADSS 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, MADSS partnered with the Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin to launch 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 MADSS 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 MADSS you know and love.

Logistics

In the months leading up to Walk Day (Sunday, September 27), MADSS will partner with DSAW to host tons of fun online! Make sure you like the MADSS and DSAW Facebook pages so you don't miss out on any of the fun! Check out the DSAW page every Friday at 2pm for challenge updates and winners!

• 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! Join us for our meet-up and car parade (starting at 10AM) at Warner Park! Our Statewide Virtual Walk Program will be streaming live on the DSAW Facebook page at 10AM and will be available to re-watch once it has finished.

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.

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 MADSS Facebook page so you don’t miss out on any of the fun! Check out the MADSS and DSAW pages every Friday at 2pm for challenge updates and winners!

Despite the current circumstances, we know our MADSS family is virtually inseparable.