Writer and civil rights activist Audre Lorde once said, “It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.” Although speaking about civil rights at the time, she just as easily could have been promoting the upcoming GiGi’s Playhouse Fargo Buddy Walk. Developed by the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) to promote acceptance and inclusion of all people with Down syndrome, the event is one of over 250 Buddy Walk events planned in cities across the country this fall.
The first Buddy Walk was held in 1995 to celebrate Down Syndrome Awareness month in October. From that initial event, the program has ballooned into a force that raised over $12.2 million in 2013. Proceeds from walks benefit local programs and services all over the country. In Fargo, Buddy Walk proceeds will go towards bringing GiGi’s Playhouse to Fargo.
Nancy Gianni opened the first GiGi’s Playhouse in Hoffman Estates, Illinois in 2003. After her daughter GiGi was diagnosed with Down syndrome, Gianni realized that society had a great deal of work to do in regards to their treatment of individuals born with the genetic defect. “As I carried her (GiGi) up the stairs, I made a promise to her that I would change the way the world looked at a person with Down syndrome; that I would help people understand that her and all of her friends were so much more than a diagnosis,” Gianni explains on the GiGi’s Playhouse website. Gianni soon discovered that resources and support groups were as lacking as awareness and understanding. “That is what propelled me to create a place where families could come for resources and networking, where kids and adults with Down syndrome could be the leaders, where we could celebrate our diagnosis,” she said.
When a parent with a child with Down syndrome looks into that child’s eyes, they see the same potential and experience the same love as any other parent. They have the same hopes and dreams; struggle with the same doubts and fears. They are more alike than they are different. Programs like GiGi’s Playhouse simply give these parents the opportunity to help their children realize their unlimited potential. GiGi’s Playhouse offers thirty educational and therapeutic programs at no charge to participants. Programs are designed to enhance literacy, math, social skills, fine motor skills, speech and language, and self-esteem. In 2013, over 16,000 participants took advantage of the program.
The idea for GiGi’s Playhouse in Fargo was created by a group of parents who wanted to provide area children, teens, and adults with every resource they need to prosper. According to their website, “our goal is to have a welcoming place where the Down syndrome community can connect, access resources to reach their greatest potential, and celebrate triumphs together.” The Buddy Walk on October 4th will bring the Fargo/Moorhead area closer to realizing that goal.
The 2014 Buddy Walk is presented by the 2013 National Down Syndrome Society’s Buddy Walk of the Year award winner, Up with Downs. The group is an affiliate of the NDSS and has been in existence for over 20 years. According to Julia Mathis, Buddy Walk participant and committee member, “Up with Downs is a family based Down syndrome support group in the F/M and surrounding communities that offer resources and support to those in need.” That group first approached Mathis after her daughter, Kiara, was born with Down syndrome. Mathis and her family has been involved in the program ever since.
Plans for GiGi’s Playhouse Fargo have been progressing well. “We are currently working with the GiGi’s National Office on Phase II of opening our playhouse with the opening goal date of spring 2015,” Mathis explained. “Phase II includes, but is not limited to, continued fundraising efforts, spreading the word in our community regarding what GiGi’s is, as well as exploration of local facility space.” Community support is necessary to see a GiGi’s Playhouse in Fargo, which is why the upcoming Buddy Walk is so important. In addition, continued participation will help dispel community myths and misperceptions regarding individuals with Down syndrome. “Get to know all the young adults and adults who are working in our community,” Mathis urged. “It’s also our job as parents to go into the schools, churches, and other local events to further educate the public on those misconceptions.”
It is common for people to fear that which they do not know or understand. The only remedy for such fear is knowledge. Unfortunately, the same fears that keep people in the dark also hurt the individuals on the other side. Individuals with Down syndrome are no less a part of our community as anyone else. They have the same talents and abilities as you or I, and deserve the same opportunities. It all starts with awareness, acceptance, and inclusion. “If you’ve never been around anyone with Down syndrome, how would you know that they live happy, productive lives,” Mathis asked. “How would they know that they can attend college, hold a job, or marry and have children of their own?”
The Buddy Walk will be held on Saturday, October 4 at the Scheels Sports Arena in Fargo. Doors open and all activities begin at 9:00am. Those activities include bouncy houses, visits from area mascots, face painting, an obstacle course, photo booth, and silent auction. Also in attendance will be special guest Special Olympics ND, Project Unify to Spread the Word to End the Word, Miss North Dakota 2014 Audra Mari, and GiGi’s Playhouse. Opening remarks will be held at 10:15am, with the 1-mile walk beginning at 10:30am. There is no cost to participate, and 100% of donations will benefit GiGi’s Playhouse Fargo. Event organizers are hoping for 2,000 walkers and 50 Buddy Walk stars (an individual with Down syndrome).
It has been said that variety is the spice of life. As a community, we are strongest when we recognize and appreciate the wide variety of individuals who live among us. Each person has something different to offer the world, and it is our job as a community to maximize opportunities for success and fulfillment. It takes all of us working together to make that happen. Ask yourself how you can help? The answers will come if you are open to them.
