Hosted by Upside of Downs of Aiken and Upside of Downs Inc. in Augusta, the area’s 15th annual Buddy Walk marked Down Syndrome Awareness Month on Saturday, Oct. 22, at the Evans Towne Center Park.
According to the Upside of Downs of Aiken, the Buddy Walk is a national event and was first held in 1995. In 2017, the Buddy Walk had more than 330,000 participants in over 250 events around the world.
On Saturday, not only did the CSRA have the Buddy Walk, but it had many other activities during the event.
“It is amazing to be able to have this event and to share with the public the joy we find in our children,” said Karen Strite, President of the Upside of Downs CSRA support group. “We have had a wonderful turnout this year, I’ve had people tell me it is the best year ever.”
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“My son is 16 years old and in those 16 years, I have learned so much about the importance of diversity in our world and recognizing that we have similarities, and we celebrate those,” Strite said. “We also have differences, and we celebrate those because we need our children to show us the way to love, it is what our world needs more of, and I’m still learning after 16 years how to express and receive love in the best way.”
Alexondria Scrugs and her family and friends attended the Buddy Walk event in support and celebration of her son who has Down Syndrome.
“When I found out I was pregnant with my son, I was 19. I found out he had Down Syndrome and me being a teenager and just getting out of high school, it was a lot,” Scrugs said. “I found out about the Buddy Walk, and it has really made our life easier because it is an outlet that I can talk to.”
Scrugs said she was excited and glad everyone came out to bring awareness to down syndrome.
“My family and friends from work and my mom, she has been in a nursing home for almost a year and was able to come out,” she said. “It is important to be able to bring the community together and bring awareness about down syndrome because a lot of people don’t know a lot about it. Being able to come with family or being able to just come together, it is important.”
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Scrugs also said she has been able to build relationships through this event.
“A few families or moms, I have met them here and then we connected with our kids,” Scrugs said. “To come out and have fun, not only to walk but to have a family day, I couldn’t ask for anything more. I just want next year to be even bigger.”
Chris Rickerson is a staff reporter covering Columbia County government and general assignment topics for The Augusta Press. Reach him at chris@theaugustapress.com.
