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Thank you to our families, friends, volunteers, and Mighty sponsors who helped take Mighty Steps for Down Syndrome last year in St. George, Salt Lake, Davis, and Cache Counties! We had over 1300 walkers (115 of which were individuals with Ds, raised $62,500 (73% went to programs for Down syndrome, 23% went to administrative costs, and 4% went to fundraising expenses). Together we were able to do so much! This video is for our amazing community and sponsors--YOU!
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| What Will Our Mighty Steps Walk Look Like This Year?
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What Is the Walk?
Due to COVID-19, UDSF's Mighty Steps for Down Syndrome Walk is looking different this year. How different? Virtually different! Last Monday, June 1st, UDSF began its first-ever virtual Mighty Steps for Down Syndrome Walk, which goes from June 1 - August 21, 2020. If you missed the start of the walk, no problem. You can join the walk at any time, but early bird pricing ends June 17!
This year, teams will help their loved ones with Down syndrome virtually walk across the entire state of Utah! Throughout the walk, teams will receive an email when they pass a milestone marker. This email contains fun facts about that destination stop. Each time a team passes a milestone marker, their loved one with Down syndrome will earn a milestone sticker. At the end of the walk, each individual with Down syndrome will be awarded a water bottle to put their milestone stickers on!
How Does it Work?
While we won't be wearing hazmat suits, we will be wearing walking bibs instead of T-shirts (it was not feasible for UDSF to mail T-shirts). We will walk safely in our neighborhoods with our friends and family from anywhere in the world. Currently, we have walkers from Minnesota, Ohio, Texas, Iowa, and Austria!
Registrants 13 and older will receive a Walker Tracker account to help track their steps and their teammates' progress across Utah. Walker Tracker can convert other activities into steps. So if you are in a wheelchair, riding a bike, or swimming you can count your "steps!"
COVID-19 permitting, following the virtual walk you will have the option to attend one of three in-person victory laps, tickets are included with your registration:
Cache County - American West Heritage Center - Saturday, September 26, 2020
Salt Lake - Rio Tinto Stadium - Saturday, August 29, 2020
St. George - Thunder Junction All Abilities Park - October 24, 2020
Virtual Lap - If you can't make the in-person walks. Date TBD
These victory laps are essentially the Mighty Steps walks of the past with games, rides, food, and fun! The virtual lap is new and is for those who live too far away from the in-person victory laps or prefer to stay away from large groups. If the in-person victory laps are canceled due to COVID, everyone will join the virtual victory lap.
Why Walk?
Hope, Health, & Happiness
According to the National Down Syndrome Congress, one way to reduce stress and to help our loved ones with Down syndrome during COVID-19 is to take walks outside. The Mayo Clinic agrees that exercise can lead to a healthier life as well as leave us feeling happier, and releases "hope molecules." So join our walk for Hope, Health, and Happiness! Every Monday, registrants will receive an email containing hope, health, and happiness tips!
Win Prizes, Lose Weight
Do you like free stuff? Do you want to be healthy? How about losing weight? Need a way to support your son, daughter, grandson, or cousin who has Down syndrome? If you said yes to any of these, then you will want to join our Mighty Steps for Down Syndrome Walk!
Every Saturday morning at 10:00 am there will be a Facebook and Youtube Livestream where we will learn about that week's milestone marker, meet a UDSF family from the area, hear from a UDSF sponsor, and announce the winners of that week's walking and fundraising challenges. Last week's winners received a $20 Amazon gift card and a Zagg wireless phone charger! The real prize goes to all those who joined in the walk, because collectively we burned 136,406 calories and lost 39 pounds, now that's a great weight-loss program!
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In addition to walking for good health and cool prizes, will you also walk to help UDSF raise critical funds? Due to COVID-19, over half of our corporate sponsors were not able to support us this year. Therefore, it's up to us! Since UDSF does not receive government funding, your fundraising efforts of sharing your team fundraising pages, asking your employers to sponsor or contribute, and your direct donations, big or small, make it possible for UDSF to continue to "Love, Lift. Launch." individuals with Down syndrome and their families! We did it last year, let's do it again this year!
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In honor of Father's Day on June 21, this month's "Love.Lift.Launch." highlight is our D.A.D.S. (Dads Appreciating Down Syndrome). This past Saturday on UDSF's live stream, Brandon Pledger from St. George, whose son Oliver is 3 years old and has Down syndrome, was asked: "What advice would you give to new parents?" Brandon's advice was, "Reach out for support, trust in some higher power that everything is going to be ok. These are such special children, you are going to learn a lot and it's going to be a beautiful journey. There's not a lot to worry about, you just need a good support group behind you." The following video shows an example of a good support group for D.A.D.S. Happy Father's Day UDSF Dads!
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Q & A: COVID-19 & Down Syndrome
This downloadable document is from the experts in the Down syndrome community, such as the Global Down Syndrome Foundation, National Down Syndrome Congress, etc. Questions include Q1: Does general COVID-19 information about symptoms, transmission, protection, and supportive treatment apply to individuals with Down syndrome? Q4: What can help people with Down syndrome reduce stress and stay well? Q30. How will we know when it is safe for people with Down syndrome to return to activities outside the home, such as school, work, or visiting with friends and family?
UDSF recommends our families download this pdf to help educate themselves as they are making decisions about keeping their loved ones with Down syndrome safe during this pandemic.
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The United Way of Utah provides resources to families and individuals in the state of Utah, such as employment, housing, food, medical/dental, etc. By simply dialing 2-1-1, callers can connect to health and human resources they need or click below to visit their website.
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"Remember that the happiest people are not those getting more, but those giving more." - H. Jackson Brown Jr.
Meet new people, make new friends, advocate for Down syndrome, and feel good all at the same time - Join UDSF's team of volunteers! Together we can "Love.Lift.Launch." individuals with Down syndrome and their families.
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Cold Stone Creamery is still open during COVID-19. Phone in your order and pick it up in the store. * This could change so call your local Cold Stone to verify.
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The New Parent Breakfastscheduled for this Saturday, June 13th has been canceled. UDSF appreciates your patience as we convert this program into an online format. The breakfast scheduled for August 8th will be held as scheduled via Zoom.
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Coronavirus
UDSF views the health and safety of our community members as paramount. As a result, we will continually assess the situation and modify our activities as necessary. In the state of Utah, many businesses are reopening. On July 1, UDSF will reassess the situation and determine whether it is safe to hold UDSF in-person activities. In the meantime, UDSF invites you to join our virtual Mighty Steps walk. It offers hope, health, and happiness, and who doesn't need more of that?
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Calvin Curtis, Attorney at Law, is UDSF's Premier Sponsor. Mr. Curtis specializes in special needs estate planning. Click on the logo below to learn more.
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