13th Annual Champlain Valley Buddy Walk to take place October 1

The 13th Annual Champlain Valley Buddy Walk will take place at Burlington's Battery Park on Sunday, October 1st, with on-site registration opening at noon and the walk commencing at 1 PM. More than 150 people are expected to attend the event, which is one of 250 Walks across the country this fall to raise awareness and funds for programs that benefit people with Down syndrome and their families.

The Buddy Walk® Program was established in 1995 by the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) to promote acceptance and inclusion for people with Down syndrome. It is still the premier walk program for our community in the United States.

This year's walk will begin and end in Battery Park, and will trace an approximately 1-mile loop through adjacent Waterfront Park.

Online registration for the event is open until noon on 9/30/2023. All participants ages 10 years and older must register for the event and the online cost is $8 per person, with the maximum registration cost of $30 for a family of four or more people. 

For additional information, click HERE.

On-site registration is also available at Battery Park. Costs for same-day registration increases to $10 per person, with family registration for four or more people capped at $35 per family. Those wishing to register on-site can pay using either cash, check or credit card.

A waiver must be signed by each participant aged 18 years and older (parents may sign for their children). Buddy Walk t-shirts will be available for purchase for $15 each at Battery Park.

We respectfully ask that attendees leave their pets at home, except of course for service animals, as some participants may have sensory issues.

Donations may be made by first clicking on the "Get Tickets" button and then entering the donation amount for the ticket type of "DONATION".

This year's walk is made possible with the generous financial support of:

• Platinum Level Sponsors: M&T Bank, Coldwell Banker - Hickok & Boardman - The Quinlan Group, and Turnbaugh Insurance Group;
• Gold Level Sponsors: Dore & Whittier Architects and Timberlane Dental Group; and
• Silver Level Sponsors: Otter Creek Engineering, Lakeside Pediatrics and Isham Family Farm.

If additional information is needed, please contact the Event Organizer, Stacey Kelleher, at [email protected]

We hope to see you there!