Every "Buddy" Belongs

On October 17th, 2009 the first annual Brattleboro Buddy Walk will take place at the town common in Brattleboro, VT. This will be a gathering of family, friends, co-workers, businesses and other "buddies" ready to support awareness and inclusion for individuals with down syndrome and other special abilities. Check-in will be at 10am at the town common at the intersection of routes 5 & 30. There will be music, dancing, food, and other kids activities following the 1 mile walk . This walk will benefit the Winston Prouty Center for Child Development and the National Down Syndrome Society.

Buddy Walk Background

The Buddy Walk was developed by the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) in 1995 to bring together a wide range of concerned individuals to reach out to friends, family and co-workers to promote awareness and inclusion for people with Down syndrome and to raise funds for education, research and advocacy programs like to Winston Prouty Center in Brattleboro, VT.

The Buddy Walk is a one-mile walk in which anyone can participate without special training. The Walk has grown from 17 walks in 1995 to 275 nationwide and around the world in 2008. Hundreds of thousands of people walk from coast to coast and abroad each year. The goal of the NDSS is to substantially increase the number of walkers each year. The goal of the Buddy Walk is to promote understanding and acceptance of people with Down syndrome. In 2009, the NDSS's goal is to have over 285 Buddy Walks across the country and abroad.

What can you do?

Get your self registered and get ready to walk. Then get the word out to friends and family to sponsor you. You can also start your own team and ask "buddies" to register and walk with you. Or you can look for a friend on this site who might already be registered and sponsor them. Remeber all donations are tax deductible.

The Winston Prouty Center for Child Development

The Winston Prouty Center for Child Development provides inclusive education and family support to promote the success of children and families. The Center has two distinct yet connected programs: The Familiy Infant Toddler Program and The Early Learning Center. The Family Infant Toddler Program is the statewide Part C Services to Vermont families with infants and toddlers who have either a developmental delay or a medical condition that may affect development. The Early Learning Center is an early care and education program with a focus on the integration of children with unique learning styles and abilities. Our goal is to let children learn and build relationships with other children and adults. We embrace the ability of young children being able to accept each other in ways we often lose as we grow older. The Early Learning Center has recently been accreditied by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Our accreditation by NAEYC shows that our program meets the 10 NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards.