The Red River Valley Down Syndrome Society will be holding its 10th annual Awareness Walk and R.E.A.C.H. Rally on Saturday, September 7. This event will be held to raise awareness and funds for the down syndrome society and their new R.E.A.C.H. Center on Lamar Avenue.
Photo from the 2012 R.E.A.C.H. Rally and Awareness Walk. (RRVDSS Photo)
To celebrate this 10th annual event, the society is adding a softball tournament and cook-off to the festivities. All of these events will be held at the Love Civic Center Pavilion and softball fields located behind the civic center on South Collegiate Street.
“Our hope is to bring more awareness to our community about individuals with disabilities and what our mission is all about,” said Krissy Crites, executive director of RRVDSS. ”We’d like for everyone to see our members and meet their families and friends who support them not only at the R.E.A.C.H. Rally, but on a daily basis.”
“We’d like for businesses and other organizations to rally together for individuals with disabilities and get involved this year by having a team in the cook-off, rally and/or softball tournament,” she said.
There will be two types of softball tournaments: an adult co-ed tournament and one for girls age 12 and under called Sawyer’s Red River Showdown in honor of a down syndrome society member, “Sawyer”. It will begin at 8:00 a.m. and is sponsored by the American Softball Association.
“His family is putting on the tournament in his honor and all the proceeds will go to RRVDSS,” Crites said.
The co-ed softball tournament is for men and women that would like to put a team together in support of the organization. It will be a ’6 men, 4 women’ co-ed tournament that will begin at 8:00 a.m. and play until complete. T-Shirts will be given to the 1st and 2nd place winners.
A RRVDSS member holds a large pot of flowers at the 2012 R.E.A.C.H. Rally. (RRVDSS Photo)
The REACH Rally Grillers Cook-Off is sure to be the ultimate showdown between grill warriors. It is a way for individuals, families, friends, and/or businesses and organizations to show off their grilling skills.
The rules are simple and straightforward, plus there is no entry fee! Awards will be given for the 1st, 2nd & 3rd place slider (small hamburger) and for 1st, 2nd & 3rd place hot dog.
There will be two judging times for individuals that participate in the cook-off and teams can consist of 1-4 members.
“This year’s R.E.A.C.H. Rally will still also consist of bounce houses, many fun carnival games, concession stands, and the return of the basket raffle,” Crites said. “The R.E.A.C.H. Rally festivities will begin at 2 p.m., with the Awareness Walk beginning at 4.”
Anybody can have a team in the REACH Rally and Awareness Walk: schools, banks, family members, local businesses, or organizations.
“We want everybody to know our teams aren’t just for individuals with disabilities,” the director said. “Think of it like the cancer walk or the heart walk, many people put teams together because they want to support a great cause, the more teams the more funds that are raised.”
The public is encouraged to come and enjoy a day full of festivities to celebrate individuals with disabilities at this organizations annual fundraiser.
Registration is available online at www.rrvdss.org or at the event. There is no fee to participate. Sponsorships and donations are appreciated. All proceeds will benefit RRVDSS.
The Red River Valley Down Syndrome Society — including family, friends and professionals that surround them — now has approximately 500 members.
The REACH Center (Raising Expectations and Creating Hope) is a comprehensive education and resource center for individuals with Down Syndrome and other disabilities, as well as their families/educators. It includes a supplemental literacy and math program, with one-on-one tutoring, for both children and adults with intellectual disabilities.
The center is also the location of many educational workshops and support group meetings. This center moved to 505 Lamar Avenue in November of 2012, with the dreams of opening an after school/work Educational Recreation Program. This program would fill a great need in this community for teenagers and adults who attend school or ‘day-hab’ programs. Those age 12 and over are too old to attend daycare programs but are not able to stay at home unattended. This program would allow them to have that supervision but be in a relaxed setting with friends. Educational opportunities would be available to individuals, as well as recreational and exercise opportunities. Siblings and other members of the community would also be allowed to enroll in the program at a low cost to parents. Trained staff would be on location directing activities and interacting with the teens and adults at all times.
For more information about the Red River Valley Down Syndrome Society, the REACH Center, or the 10th Annual Awareness Walk festivities, visit the organizations website at www.rrvdss.org or call 903-783-1922.
“It is such a pleasure working for the Red River Valley Down Syndrome Society,” the director said. “I have the joy of being a part of an organization that helps the individuals in our community that happen to be differently abled. We are so pleased at the awareness we have gotten over the past year and are very excited to begin working on our R.E.A.C.H. recreational center.”
By Josh Allen, eParis Extra