Event Details

COVID-19 Precautions

  • Per CDC guidance, face masks are optional at outdoor events. Guests are welcome to wear face masks within their own comfort level.

  • 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.

Where to Go

  • Olin Park 1156 Olin-Turville Ct, Madison, WI 53715

  • 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

  • Parking available on first come first serve basis in designated areas.
  • Please notify parking volunteers when you arrive, for handicap accessibility and parking.

Car Parade

We are thrilled to announce that on Walk Day we will have a meet-up and car parade again! Decorate your vehicle in Down syndrome awareness colors (blue & yellow)! Wear your DSAW 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!! Top Fundraising Teams are invited to lead the procession! To practice safe social distancing, you do not need to check-in upon arrival and can remain in your vehicle.

Car Parade requires separate registration!  Please fill out this short sign-up form to join us. 

  • Meet at Tenney Park Boat Launch (1615 Sherman Ave, Madison, WI  53704) at 10:30AM
    • Car pareade willstart at 11AM promptly!
  • Some decoration supplies will be available
  • Car parade ends at Olin Park for the DSAW-South Central Awareness Walk and Family Festival

Food

  • FREE concessions will be available!
  • There will be a variety of food trucks! 
  • We recommend bringing cash for these just in case. 

What to Bring

  • You are welcome to bring your own food, drinks (non-alcoholic please!), reusable water bottles, camping chairs, wagons, and strollers. Wear comfy shoes.
  • We will be outside rain or shine so dress for the weather!
  • You may also bring decorations, posters, and signs to celebrate your loved one! In addition, 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 with registration. Attendees of the in-person event can pick them up on Walk Day (you only need to send ONE member of your team to registration to pick up shirts for your whole team). 

Walk & Family Festival

  • Our Family Festival includes music, games, raffles, prizes, inflatables, activities, and more! Our Family Festival includes activities, games, raffles, rock climbing wall, inflatables, prizes, music, and much more!

21 Showcase

  • 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.
  • The deadline to sign up for the 21 Showcase is Friday, September 16!
  • SUBMIT YOUR PHOTO

Text Giving

  • Your friends and family are able to make a donation via text! Text scwalk22 to 50155 to make a donation.
  • If you would like to set up text giving that goes directly to your participant or team fundraising page, head to your participant profile, click on the "Text Giving" tab, and create your own keyword. Donors will then need to text scwalk22, enter a space, and enter your unique keyword to have the donation go right to your own thermometer!

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

  • FLASH GIVEAWAY! Any DSAW-SC Awareness Walk team that raises $500 by the end of August will be entered into a drawing to win a guided wine tasting for 4 with chocolate pairings at Northleaf Winery! Tasting must be redeemed in September.
  • If your team raises $500 by 8/18: You receive a DSAW-South Central yard sign to display pre-event.
  • If your team raises $500 by 9/6: You receive a DSAW-South Central yard sign at event.
  • If your team raises $1,500 by 9/6: You will win a chance to have a featured spot on the Awareness Walk tv segments.
  • If your team raises $2,000 by 9/6: You receive a DSAW-South Central yard sign at event
  • If your team raises $3,000 by Walk Day: You will be entered into a drawing to win tickets to a WI Sporting Event (TBD).
  • If your team raises $3,500 by Walk Day: You will be entered into a drawing to win a Bounce House Party Package
  • If your team raises $5,000 by Walk Day: You will receive a VIP tent and seating at the Walk
  • The team that raises the most money in total by 11:59PM on 10/1 will win their loved one's photo on all 2023 pre-event marketing materials.
    • Inelligble for this top prize: Kennedy's Wildflowers. Our 2021 winner!
  • As a special thank you, the First Place Team will have their child's picture on the DSAW-South Central Billboard before the 2023 Awareness Walk! 
    • Past winners from the last two years are NOT eligible to win this prize
  • The cut-off for donations that qualify for the Top  Fundraising Prizes is 11:59PM on 10/1
    • All cash and check donations must be at the DSAW-South Central post office box by noon on October 1st to qualify. 

Forming a Team

  • Forming a team is the perfect way to celebrate your loved one with Down syndrome, and you get to participate in the BIGGEST Awareness party in South Central Wisconsin! 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 1,000 people across the greater Madison area 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 DSAW-South Central 21st Annual Down Syndrome Awareness Walk, which will be on October 2nd at Olin Park. The goal of the Walk is to spread awareness and acceptance of Down syndrome throughout South Central Wisconsin, and to raise funds for our chapter'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/scwalk22/ 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 free session 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!

Sponsorship Opportunities

245619838_10157982839770997_8392557995201118898_n (1).jpg