On
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2019
the Down Syndrome Association of WI will have its
23rd annual Awareness Walk for Down syndrome
at the Milwaukee County Zoo

Hi Everyone - Jessica Hoppe here.  Thanks for coming to check out my fundraising page.  I wanted to share with everyone what a busy year I have had!

I was in the 5th grade and everything was so great!  It was my last year at Red Apple, which is the only school I have ever known.  I really enjoyed going to camp again and now I want to bring my whole family to camp so they can enjoy the fun!  I made a lot of gains in 5th grade and thanks to my summer tutor I am prepared for 6th grade.  My new school is Jerstad and I cannot lie, I am a little nervous.  I have made some visits to the school so I can see what it looks like – mom and dad like me to be prepared!

I just turned 12 in July and for my birthday I had a party at Racine Gymnastics with my friends from school.  It is always great seeing my friends from school during the summer.  We all had lots of fun bouncing around on the trampolines and springy floor. 

I once again got to celebrate my birthday with the Green Bay side of my family in Door County this year.  We had lots of fun getting to stay in our house with my Green Bay Grandma and my other relatives.  I love going to the beach, riding my 3 wheel bike (up to 2 miles – whew) , taking walks along the shore line and I also love to get Zanzibar ice cream at Wilsons or shaved ice drinks at Malibu Moo.  We played mini golf, created art at the Hands On Art Studio and just had fun with my family.  The rest of the summer was jam packed with play!  I joined a baseball team this year.  The group is called Koos for Kids.  They have a spot for everyone!  My brother, sister, mom and dad even got to help out.   I enjoy running, playing and following my brother and sister around.

Our family has participated in the Awareness walk every year since I was born!  We want to get the word out that People with Down syndrome are more LIKE everybody else than they are different.  We have feelings, talents and dreams just like everyone.  We deserve to be accepted and appreciated for who we are and what we can and do contribute to our lives and our communities.

Many thanks for your support, and PLEASE don't forget to forward this to your entire address book and anyone else who you think might want to donate and register to walk as part of our team.

Donating through this website is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to support our fundraising efforts. You can make your tax-deductible donation online, or if you would prefer, you can send your contribution to the DSAW Office: 11709 W Cleveland Ave, Suite 2, West Allis, WI 53227 (Just be sure to write our team name on the memo line so that we get credit for the donation!) Whatever you can give will help - it all adds up! To sponsor us simply press the Donate Now button on the right side of this page.

Please also join us on Sunday, September 22nd, at the Milwaukee County Zoo as part of our team. It's an incredible day of celebration with family, friends, and people who, like you, want to raise awareness, raise funds, and raise the hope of a better world for all people with Down syndrome. With your support and involvement, our goals of acceptance, inclusion and empowerment will become a reality!

To join our team, click Register for This Event button on the right side of this page.