Ninth Annual Buddy Walk names Jamie Deen as Grand Marshal
(SAVANNAH, GA) American cook, restaurateur, and TV personality, Jamie Deen will serve as the Grand Marshal of the 2014 Buddy Walk. The ninth annual event begins Saturday, October 4 at 10 a.m. in Forsyth Park. Thousands of people are expected to attend this year’s event to raise awareness and funds for local programs, including Camp Buddy and Night of Champions. Deen sits on the LDSS board and has also served as Buddy Walk Grand Marshal multiple times.
“I am honored to be named the Grand Marshal for the ninth annual festival. It is amazing to be actively volunteering with the Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society, an organization dedicated to providing help and support to people with Down syndrome and their families, and I am proud to lead the one-mile march to raise awareness for them,” said Deen.
The Buddy Walk Festival encourages participants of all ages and abilities. Walkers, strollers, piggy-backers and pets are welcome. The ultimate goal of the festival 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 other services here in the Lowcountry and Coastal Empire.
The walk begins at 10 a.m. with a Family Fun Festival being held immediately thereafter. A wide range of activities including face painting, bouncy houses, other games, as well as music and refreshments will last until 2 p.m. The ninth annual 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 Wednesday, Oct 1 at midnight. Participants can also signup starting at 8:30 a.m. the day of the event. Registration is $12 per person or $40 for a family of four, which includes a T-Shirt, lunch and admission to the festival. For more information, contact Candy Bogardus at 912-663-8573 or jcbogardus@gmail.com , or visit www.ldssga.org .
ABOUT THE LOWCOUNTRY DOWN SYNDROME SOCIETY
The Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society (LDSS) is a non-profit 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. http://www.ldssga.
Contact
Candy Bogardus
Buddy Walk Coordinator
www.ldssga.org
jcbogardus@gmail.com
912-663-8573
Media Contact
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade PR
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com
912.844.9990