Savannah’s own best-selling cookbook authors from The Lady and Sons, Paula Deen and Jamie Deen will serve as Grand Marshals of the 2013 Buddy Walk. The eighth annual event begins Saturday, October 5th at 10am in Forsyth Park in historic Downtown Savannah, Georgia. The mother-son tandem will lead participants in the one-mile fundraiser benefiting the Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society (LDSS). Thousands of people are expected to attend the event, which raises awareness and funds for local programs, including Camp Buddy, that benefit people with Down Syndrome and their families. Jamie Deen sits on the LDSS board and has also served as Buddy Walk Grand Marshal multiple times, as has Paula Deen in the past years.

The Buddy Walk Program encourages participants of all ages and abilities. Carriages, strollers, wheelchairs, little red wagons and pets are all welcome. The goals are to promote acceptance and inclusion of people with Down Syndrome and to positively influence local and national policy and practice. Past Buddy Walk events have raised millions to benefit education, research, and advocacy initiatives nationally, as well as the Night of Champions, Camp Buddy and many other services here in the Lowcountry and Coastal Empire.

The walk begins at 10am. A Family Fun Festival will be held immediately after. A wide range of activities including face painting, bouncy houses, games, music and refreshments will last until 2pm. The LDSS Buddy Walk is one of more than 300 Buddy Walks taking place across the country this October to celebrate Down Syndrome Awareness Month. Online registration is available at www.ldssga.org until Sunday, September 29th. Participants can also signup starting at 8:30am the day of the event. Registration is $12 per person or $40 for a family of four and includes a T-Shirt, lunch and admission to the festival. For more information, contact John or Candy Bogardus at (912) 728-8505 or visit www.ldssga.org.

About the Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society: The Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society (LDSS) is a support group to benefit people with Down Syndrome and their families through local leadership in support, outreach, education and advocacy. Meetings are held every 4th Tuesday of the month, typically with a guest speaker and social time for families to meet and interact with one another. We encourage people to bring their children. We are an affiliate of the National Down Syndrome Society. For more information, visit www.ldssga.org .