The Upside
10th Annual Buddy Walk Speaker's Notes
01/Nov/2011 03:30 Filed in: President's Letter
President’s Speech to Buddy Walk Participants
This is our 10th annual Buddy Walk here in Hampton Roads and this is our day to celebrate Down syndrome! This is one of our biggest opportunities to spread awareness and promote acceptance.
Most of us here today LIVE this acceptance daily and we KNOW how much our loved ones with Down syndrome add to our lives. We KNOW our loved ones have unique personalities and unique abilities. We KNOW our loved ones can and do contribute to our community. We KNOW these things; We just need to share what we already know, so that the rest of the world can begin to understand.
Sharing what we know is nothing new! In fact, 30 years ago, a couple of moms decided it was time to come together and it was time to share their knowledge. They had a goal of making a difference right here in Hampton Roads and it was at that time in 1981 that they, Lynnette Regan and Nancy McCullough founded the DSAHR, then called the Tidewater DSA.
This year marks our 30 year anniversary and individuals with Down syndrome have come a LONG way within that time. More and more people with Down syndrome are being included in our schools, our churches, our workplaces, and our places of recreation. Children who are born with Down syndrome today can look forward to a more promising future.
However, we cannot sit back and expect continued positive change. We, like our predecessors, have a long way to go.
So, while we can expect our loved ones to have more opportunities and to lead more fulfilling lives than ever before, we still must continue to strive for better and we must aim higher. We need to turn our hopes and dreams for our loved ones with Down syndrome into reality. I believe we are moving in the right direction. We are headed towards exciting things and I truly look forward to what the next 30 years has in store for people with Down syndrome.
Thank you for helping us celebrate our 30th Anniversary and as we look back on how far we have come, help us envision the next 30 years!
Most of us here today LIVE this acceptance daily and we KNOW how much our loved ones with Down syndrome add to our lives. We KNOW our loved ones have unique personalities and unique abilities. We KNOW our loved ones can and do contribute to our community. We KNOW these things; We just need to share what we already know, so that the rest of the world can begin to understand.
Sharing what we know is nothing new! In fact, 30 years ago, a couple of moms decided it was time to come together and it was time to share their knowledge. They had a goal of making a difference right here in Hampton Roads and it was at that time in 1981 that they, Lynnette Regan and Nancy McCullough founded the DSAHR, then called the Tidewater DSA.
This year marks our 30 year anniversary and individuals with Down syndrome have come a LONG way within that time. More and more people with Down syndrome are being included in our schools, our churches, our workplaces, and our places of recreation. Children who are born with Down syndrome today can look forward to a more promising future.
However, we cannot sit back and expect continued positive change. We, like our predecessors, have a long way to go.
- Virginia was just found by the Department of Justice to be unacceptably reliant on segregated, state-run institutions.
- There remains more than 6000 people in Virginia on the waiting list for Medicaid services for individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
- Inclusive education continues to be challenge.
- And, the employment rate for people with disabilities is upwards of 76%.
So, while we can expect our loved ones to have more opportunities and to lead more fulfilling lives than ever before, we still must continue to strive for better and we must aim higher. We need to turn our hopes and dreams for our loved ones with Down syndrome into reality. I believe we are moving in the right direction. We are headed towards exciting things and I truly look forward to what the next 30 years has in store for people with Down syndrome.
Thank you for helping us celebrate our 30th Anniversary and as we look back on how far we have come, help us envision the next 30 years!
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