Record turnout for Down Syndrome Carlow’s annual fundraising walk
The group of families who took part in Down Syndrome Carlow's annual 'Walk Your Socks Off' fundraising event at Rathwood, Tullow Photos: michaelorourkephotography.ie
DOWN Syndrome Carlow saw attendance double at its annual Walk Your Socks Off fundraising event at Rathwood recently, raising an impressive €5,000, with more donations still coming in.
The family-friendly walk, which took place on Sunday 23 March, came just days after World Down Syndrome Day.
“We had a really, really big crowd. And it was brilliant to see so many families coming out; if they had a person with Down Syndrome in their family, they could be aunts, sons, cousins – everyone came along,” said Marie Sheppard, a volunteer with Down Syndrome Carlow.
The event, which began at 11am, was organised by the Down Syndrome Carlow committee consisting of Tina McDonnell, Julie Lindo, Maire Bowes, Aileen Cole and Annette Foley, with additional support from volunteers, including Marie.
Marie described the atmosphere as “a fantastic morning” that provided an important social opportunity for families.
“It was lovely for families to get together and have a chat and see people that you mightn’t see all the time. It’s a good way of catching up,” she said.
The walk holds special significance for children with Down Syndrome who attend different schools and may not regularly see one another.
“Some children go to different schools; they might not see each other very often, so they get to catch up and have a little walk and a play and a chat,” said Marie.
Organisers were “blown away” by the community’s generosity, with the fundraising tally reaching €5,000 at the initial counting.
“We won’t have the final count for a couple of weeks as people gather up their sponsorship and get the money into us ... there’s still money coming in now,” added Marie.
The organisation hopes to build on this year’s success in the future. “We hope to have a bigger and better event every year. We’re learning as we go along and want to build on it,” she said.
For those who missed the event but still wish to contribute, contributions can be made through Down Syndrome Carlow’s iDonate page at www.idonate.ie/cause/downsyndromecarlow.
