Nashville Buddy Walk supporting Down Syndrome Association brings in big cash haul – Tennessean
Thousands of marchers wove through the lawn at The Hermitage Saturday, bringing the celebratory energy of a parade to the historic site.
The booming drum line and cheerleaders along the route brought to mind a Friday night football game.
The bustling bounce house and giant inflatable slides evoked an epic birthday party.
The wafting smell of baking cinnamon buns made it seem like a county fair.
For Katie and Duncan Williams of Clarksville, it was a sprawling family reunion.
The Nashville Buddy Walk, a keystone event for the Down Syndrome Association of Middle Tennessee, quickly became an annual tradition for the couple and their son Lucas, who is 2-and-a-half years old.
When Lucas was diagnosed with Down Syndrome as a baby, it was initially a frightening experience, Duncan Williams said. They didn’t know what to expect.
They leaned on the association — the nonprofit organizes family support groups, educational opportunities and community events like the Buddy Walk.
“You realize quickly it’s not scary. It’s a wonderful thing,” Duncan Williams said while his son’s eyes bounced back and forth, soaking up the event.
“And you’re not alone,” Katie Williams added.
Organizers said about 5,000 people attended the Buddy Walk this year. The crowd, many of whom worked in teams to fund-raise leading up to the event, collected more than $230,000 to support the association.
Alecia Talbott, executive director of the association, said the walk has gotten bigger every year.
At the first Buddy Walk 22 years ago, she said, only a handful of families showed up at the Cool Springs Galleria.
Talbott said the growing crowd and infectious energy were signs of rapidly shifting attitudes surrounding Down Syndrome. Education and advances in treatment have led to greater inclusion and much longer life expectancies for people with Down Syndrome.
“It’s our mission to make sure everyone’s valued just for who they are,” Talbott said.
“We’re really happy to have made this a community event,” Talbott added as families streamed past her at the end of the route, the kids wearing medals. “They belong in our community.”
The Williams family and their friends were the biggest earners this year, bringing in $20,164.
Giving back was a natural instinct for the family, they said, because the association had given them so much.
“It definitely tugs at your heartstrings,” Katie Williams said.
“I feel like we’re part of the coolest club ever,” she said. “We just got a second family out of nowhere.”
They said they would be back in 2020.
Lucas will be 3 then. Because his team was the top earner this year, he will be the grand marshal of next year’s walk.
“Next year,” Katie Williams said, “he’ll get to lead the way.”
Reach Adam Tamburin at 615-726-5986 and atamburin@tennessean.com. Follow him on Twitter @tamburintweets.
Published 5:11 PM EDT Nov 2, 2019
