Walks and fundraising

Our Step Up for Down Syndrome walk is coming up in one week. The walk is a fundraiser for Down Syndrome Information Alliance, and this year I have actually done some fundraising, although I have some ambivalence about it. I like the Step Up walk and the Buddy Walk partly for the awareness-raising and getting together aspects, and money sullies it all a bit for me, even though of course it's going to outreach for new parents and education and support for the DS community. I just don't like to hit people up for money. I've done a number of charity runs lately where the entrance fee is how the money is raised, and I kind of like that because then I don't bug anybody else about supporting the cause; I just do so myself. However, I would hate for a Down Syndrome walk to have a higher ($25-35) entrance fee for everybody because this would exclude a lot of families. Our walk has a registration fee of $10 for an adult and $5 for a child, which is pretty affordable. And then people can decide how much fundraising they want to do or can do. We can all get together and have a fun day, regardless of who raised what. Now, if anybody out there wants to join Team Nathan, there is still time, and I promise, I won't make you raise money if you don't wanna!

Nathan walking in last year's Step up walk. He was not walking independently then, but is now!