Important Update: Down Syndrome Festival & 5k

Dear DSACO Families,

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Due to the rising concern surrounding the coronavirus (COVID-19), and the increasing mandate around no public gatherings, we have made the decision to take our 5k virtual and change our awareness walk to a car parade at the Myriad Botanical Gardens. This decision was not taken lightly, but our priority is always the safety of our families, loved ones with Down syndrome, 5K runners, volunteers, and to those who help us with the event.

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That being said, we feel strongly that those who have registered to run are running for acceptance, inclusion and a PURPOSE! This is why we are going to have a virtual 5K this year and allow our runners to continue to help us further our mission! Our registered runners will receive their 5K bag delivered to their doorstep which will include their 5K shirt and the profile of a person with  Down syndrome that you are running in honor of! We ask that you wear your t-shirt while you run and that you run for acceptance and inclusion, while keeping your assigned person in your thoughts.

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In addition to the virtual 5k,  WE ARE HAVING AN INCLUSION PARADE in lieu of an awareness walk! That’s right- grab some poster board, lights, shoe polish and decorate your car/float and come celebrate with us! We will have volunteers lining the streets with signs and cheering us on as we spread awareness throughout downtown! We ask that everyone stay in their vehicle and not walk in the street to keep everyone safe. We will have more details to come about the time, street entrances, etc. as we work with the city to finalize these plans.

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We encourage EVERYONE to sign up to run the 5K virtually. You can expect to receive your package within 10-14 business days to the address you provided in your registration. You should also receive an email that your package has been shipped. Please check your registration account if you need to make any changes to your address. We will not reship returned packages. Once you complete your run on Saturday, Sept. 26, you can enter your time in your EnMotive account and download your finisher’s certificate.

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Family Teams please register NOW! Because of traffic flow and street closures we need to have an idea of how many cars to expect. We will also have a contest for the best decorated vehicle!

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The health and safety of our loved ones with Down syndrome is extremely important to us. We hope you will run virtually and participate in our parade to celebrate our loved ones with Down syndrome on Sept. 26. As always, we will continue to further our mission of promoting acceptance and inclusion!

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Sincerely your advocate,

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Sarah Soell
Executive Director
DSACO

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