It's Buddy Walk Time!

Ben's Brigade Team Page for the Omaha Buddy Walk®

       

It is so great to be going to a Buddy Walk again.  I didn't realize how much it meant to us to be part of an organization who supports it's nations groups in a significant way, until we had lost it.   We are walking in the Omaha Buddy Walk to show support for more than 400,000 individuals with Down syndrome in the U.S. Please join us as we celebrate Ben on this special day. The event has fun activities for the whole family. It would be great to have you with us in person, but if you can not be there, please consider getting a Ben's Brigade shirt for just $10 and wearing it on that day and often through out the month of October for National Down syndrome awareness month.   We have a limited number of shirts left and they look like this:

Contact us if you have questions or want more information or to order a shirt!
Sincerely, The Willey Family 

http://www.ds-stride.org/omahabuddywalk/profiles/team/133

Times Square NDSS VIdeo

Today is the Buddy Walk in New York.  To kick off the walk and Down syndrome awareness month in October, they just showed a video on the Sony screen in Times Square with photos of individuals with Down Syndrome from all over the world.  For the second straight year, Ben's photo was chosen to be included in the video.    One day we will get to go and experience the New York Walk in person.  But for now we are very grateful for Earthcam and especially the fact that this year they focused the camera directly on the Sony Screen.  What a great way to see the video for the first time.  I will post the full video as soon as it becomes available.  But for now here is a screen shot I took from my computer, showing Ben on the big screen!  Technology is so cool

Our own local Step Up for Down Syndrome walk will be held on October 5, 2013 in Lincoln.  If anyone wants to support Ben, either in person by walking or by donating to our team Ben's Brigade, please visit our team page by clicking here.  You can also see the photo of Ben that was shown in Times Square up close.  Thank you to everyone who has already supported us!.  Because of your generosity, Ben has earned all three of his fact poster that will be displayed along the Step Up Walk route, and becuase we are in the top ten for number of walkers, his photo will be included in the 2014 DSAF calendar.  We are humbled by all the love an support we have been give by all our family, friends.
Thank you!

Fifth Time is a Charm

Every year since Ben was born, I have submitted a photo to be shown on the video screen in Times Square in New York, for the National Buddy Walk.  This year his photo was finally chosen! 

Ben will appear in the bright lights of Broadway on Saturday, September 22, as part of the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) annual Times Square Video Presentation, which embodies the NDSS mission to promote the value, acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome.

  

The photo of Ben was selected from over 1,000 entries in the NDSS worldwide call for photos. Over 200 photographs will appear in the video, which will be shown on the News Corporation Sony Screen, located in the heart of Times Square.  

Ben is pictured playing on his big brother’s drum set.  He loves music of all kinds. 

  

The Times Square video presentation kicks off Down Syndrome Awareness Month in October. The video presentation will be followed by the 18th Annual New York City Buddy Walk® in Central Park. This year, Buddy Walk and Step Up Walk events will be held in more than 300 cities across the country, as well as select international locations, in and around October.   

Our own Step Up for Down Syndrome Walk in Lincoln, NE will be held on October 6, 2012.  Here is a link to Ben's Brigades fundraising page.  

Capital City Buddy Walk

This is Ben .
It's time again to raise money for the Down Syndrome Awareness in Lincoln.

How can you help? Many different ways! You can donate on-line by going to Ben's Brigade team page by clicking here. You can donate by check made payable to DSAF of Nebraska and send it to The Willey Family (email me @ awilley1@yahoo.com if you need the address). But the best way to show your support, is to register and come walk with us! Our team name is Ben’s Brigade. My family would love to see you there! To register, click here. Be sure to register by September 20th to get a free T-shirt with your paid registration!

The walk is 1 mile around the Children’s Zoo but there will be so much more than just the walk! I know they have a lot of fun stuff planned for the kids! Click here to see the brochure.

Thanks for reading. Thanks for donating. Thanks for loving me for me!

Love,
Ben
Randy, Angie, John and Noah Willey