Friends of Frederick Maryland

Frederick County, Maryland
Down Syndrome Advocate Group

New
Parents
(Coming soon)

Click on the image above to make a donation. Thank you!

(At the Buddy Walk, we will be awarding prizes for the top three fundraisers.
Staff members of FRIENDS are not eligible for prizes.
Images do not necessarily represent exact items awarded.)

First place will win a Nintendo Wii.

Second place will win an Apple iTouch.

Third place will win two $100 gas cards.

8^th Annual Buddy Walk
Hosted by F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

Saturday, September 19^th, 2009
at Bandshell Area of Baker Park,
Frederick, Maryland

Registration 11:00am
Walk 1:00pm

**Download "Early Bird Registration" form here**
Fill it in, Print it out and send it in with registration.
Early Bird Registrations must be postmarked by Sept. 1, 2009.

The Buddy Walk this year is in memory of...

Andrew Christopher Eiker
1996 - 2009

On June 1, 2009, F.R.I.E.N.D.S. suffered the tragic
loss of one of our most beloved members,
Andrew Eiker. The Eiker Family has been one
of the cornerstones of our group for many, many years.
Our members will all miss Andrew's light hearted
spirit and sense of humor. Please join us as we
dedicate this year's Buddy Walk to Andrew's
memory and celebrate his life.

Buddy Walk facts, click here.

Down syndrome facts, click here.

The Family Resource, Information and Education Network for Down Syndrome (F.R.I.E.N.D.S.) is proud to host the 8^th Annual Buddy Walk to support Down syndrome. Anyone who wants to support acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome can participate in the Buddy Walk.

Check-in/Registration begins at 11:00 am. Come to the bandshell area of Baker Park. When you check-in/register, you will receive your t-shirt(s).

Walk will begin at 1:00 pm. The approx. one-mile walk begins and ends at the bandshell in Baker Park.

Click here for a large map and here for a closer map.

Click here for a diagram of the walk.

This year we would like to welcome back special guests Chris Burke, Joe deMasi and John deMasi which will be walking and providing entertainment.

Chris Burke, Joe deMasi, John deMasi

Chris Burke, Joe & John deMasi

Another special guest is Karen Gaffney, a self-advocate and beautiful lady.

Karen Gaffney

Exerpts from...
Life prepared her for Channel swim
By Finn J. John

"Today she's a graduate of St. Mary's Academy, a private Catholic high school in Portland. Her grade point average is 3.0. She is the president of the Karen Gaffney Foundation (www.karengaffneyfoundation.com), a nonprofit organization dedicated to getting people with Down Syndrome fully included into society.

She's also the first person with Down Syndrome to swim the English Channel as part of a relay team. It was a six-person team, supported by two boats. They made their way through roughly 30 miles of 60-degree water, with huge waves, entangling kelp and stinging jellyfish. No wetsuits were allowed.

"My team needed me, and that was a great feeling," Karen said. "But it was even better to know they had confidence in me."

It was an accomplishment she had trained for over a year, swimming three miles every day in the Columbia River. She trained with the other members of her team, and after they went home, she came back and swam the training course again and again."

Another speaker this year will be Amy McDonald. She is 37-years-old and is a self advocate. She lives locally. She has attended Frederick Community College pursuing a degree in child development so she can work with kids. Please click here to see some of Amy's artwork.

Scheduled to appear is Frederick City Mayor, Jeff Holtzinger. The honorable mayor will read a proclamation proclaiming Sept. 19th Down Syndrome Buddy Walk Day in the city of Frederick.

Frederick City Mayor, Jeff Holtzinger

There will be a Clown, the Frederick Keys’ mascot ‘KEYOTE’, balloons, moon bounce, petting zoo and much more for the kids. There will also be plenty of food and drinks for all the participants to enjoy.

The mission of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. is to promote and enhance the quality of life for persons living with Down syndrome and their families. We open our arms and our hearts to these individuals by providing a wide range of support services; increasing community awareness and acceptance; and acting as a resource of information and education.

Hope to see you there!!

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