Buddy Walk Team Resources
Saluda Shoals Athletic Fields
Buddy Walk® was established in 1995 by the National Down Syndrome Society. The goal of Buddy Walk is to raise awareness and funds for programs and policies that benefit people affected by Down syndrome and their families.
Funds raised at our event also support resources and services provided by Family Connection of South Carolina. Family Connection serves families who have a child with a disability or chronic health condition.
11:00 a.m. Gates open for Vendors and Tailgating
12:00 – 2:00 p.m. Family Fun activities
2:00 p.m. Walk around athletic fields
2:30 p.m. Buddy Walk ceremony and awards
Start your Buddy Walk Team!
Decide on a fun team name you love! Start your team!
Purchase a Buddy Walk 2022 T-shirt while you register!
Set a fundraising goal and make your own donation—it’s easier to ask others to contribute to your cause when they see you are setting the example! Add additional team members to your team.*
Order a complimentary Buddy Walk T-shirt for your Special Buddy.
Customize your team page and your personal page to let the world know why you are supporting Buddy Walk. Include a profile photo on each page!
* Each team member must have a unique, valid email address—they cannot share an address with any other team member. If your Special Buddy does not have an email address, you may use a parent’s email address but the parent will not be able to use that same email address for themselves.
Build Momentum
Now that you’ve got your team started, let’s have fun with fundraising!
Share your story! After you register for Buddy Walk, you will receive a link to your fundraising page. Copy and paste this link in an email message to your contacts and on your social media channels. In a few sentences, share why Buddy Walk is important to you and invite people to join your team or contribute to your goal. Include photos!
Recruit! Add more members to your team and build excitement—ask your neighbors or co-workers if they want to be part of Buddy Walk by joining or making a contribution to your team.
Matching Gifts! Ask your employer if they offer a matching gifts program. Many companies will match their employees’ charitable donations. Just like that—you’ve doubled your impact!
Support from the Top! If your employer doesn’t offer matching gifts, ask your manager or HR contact if the company is interested in sponsoring the event or contributing to your team. Download Sponsorship levels PDF.
Clean up for a cause! Get your closets, drawers, and garage cleaned out and host a family or neighborhood garage sale. Donate proceeds to your Buddy Walk campaign—it’s a win/win!
Percentage Events: restaurants or other businesses you support can support you by hosting a Buddy Walk Day (or Night) and donating a percentage of sales to your team. Or they can simply make a donation to your team!
Reach for the Stars! Start a Star Campaign by selling Buddy Walk Stars for $1 and $5. Sell them as a family and ask local businesses if they will sell them too! This is a great opportunity for schools and businesses to create an awareness wall of Buddy Walk Stars—each star has a place for the purchaser to add their name. We’ll get you the stars—you make them shine! Proceeds from the star sales will be added to your team total!
School Spirit! Ask child’s school to support Buddy Walk. They can create their own fundraiser or sell Buddy Walk Stars.
Get creative—and let the kids join in! Kids come up with great ideas to support Buddy Walk—use blue and yellow to create projects kids can sell to friends, family, and neighbors to support their Buddy Walk team. (Anything from painted rocks to cookies or cupcakes!)
Game on! Join our weekly fundraising challenges and ask your team mates to do the same. Each Tuesday we will post a fun challenge and offer a great weekly prize.
Get Ready to Celebrate
Be a Leader!
Our Buddy Walk page will features a leaderboard of the top fundraising teams and individual members. It’s your chance to shine and highlight the work of your team and your generous donors.
Get the competitive edge! Check out our Team Captain Score Card — it will help you keep track of your steps to success—and give you points for each activity. Top performers will receive great prizes!
Get your Buddy Walk gear! Pick up your Buddy Walk T-shirts (and Buddy Bags for Special Buddies) at our T-shirt Pick Up locations (including the Family Connection office) the week of Buddy Walk. You can also turn in any offline donations (cash or checks) at our T-shirt pick up locations. Offline donations turned in by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 3rd will be used to calculate our fundraising awards. Remember, it helps us plan for a better Buddy Walk day if you can pick up your T-shirt orders prior to event day!
Join the fun on the big day!
We are so excited for Buddy Walk 2022. We can’t WAIT to bring our families and supporters together for a wonderful day with an awards program and lots of family fun in honor of Down syndrome awareness. Watch your inbox and social media for the event day schedule and more details!
Sunday, November 6, 2022 • Saluda Shoals Athletic Fields
11:00 a.m. Gates open for Vendors and Tailgating
12:00 – 2:00 p.m. Family Fun activities
• Visit our Vendors and Tailgaters
• Games and concessions
• Family social time
2:00 p.m. Walk around athletic fields
2:30 p.m. Buddy Walk ceremony and awards