The 14th Annual New York City Buddy Walk™ will be taking place on Sunday, September 28, 2008 on the Great Hill in Central Park, which is located at 106th St. and Central Park West.

This year, we anticipate the New York City Buddy Walk™ will attract at least 4,000 participants from the tri-state area and across the country.  Individuals with Down syndrome, families and friends walk a one-mile course and then enjoy games and music to promote inclusion and awareness of Down syndrome.   Don't forget to bring a picnic lunch to enjoy at the Park when you finish the Walk! John C. McGinley, who plays Dr. Perry Cox in the hit NBC show ?Scrubs,? is the 2008 National Buddy Walk™ Spokesman and will lead the New York City Buddy Walk™.   Here is a schedule of the day's events: 

Times Square Video

Join us at 10:30 a.m. in the heart of Times Square to view the 2008 Times Square Video on the Newscorporation Panasonic Astrovision Screen.  We will gather to watch the video on the island formed by 7th Avenue, Broadway and 43rd Street.   

Bus Transportation to Central Park

Buses will pick up passengers who reserved a spot at 11:15 a.m. on the corner of 43rd Street and Broadway and will transport participants from Times Square to the Great Hill at Central Park.  Once the buses arrive at the Great Hill, greeters will be on hand to direct you to the registration area. 

Buses will return participants to Times Square at 2:45 and 3:00 p.m.

To reserve seats for you and your family, please send an e-mail to rswitalski@ndss.org and indicate the number of seats required.

Registration

Registration begins at 11:00 a.m. at the Great Hill in Central Park, which is located at 106th St and Central Park West.  There will be separate areas for on-site, pre and team registration.  Each participant, family or team will need to check-in in order to receive the 2008 New York City Buddy Walk™ t-shirt.  

The Buddy Walk™

Following a brief presentation with opening remarks by actor John C. McGinley, the Walk will begin at 12:30 p.m. The Buddy Walk™ will be led by Chris Burke, NDSS Good Will Ambassador and star of the ground-breaking TV series ?Life Goes On?.  This fun Walk through Central Park is approximately 1 mile.

Fun in the Park

Relax and have fun in the park with games, refreshments, music and entertainment!  Carnival games, face painting and other activities will be availalble free of charge.  Visit the exhibitor's marketplace to pick up free samples and to learn more about our sponsors and partners.

Live entertainment will begin on the main stage at 11:00 AM.  Performances include musical acts by Kathy Zimmer, Lee-Ellen Pisauro and The Moving Company, members of the Suffolk County Police Emerald Society Pipes and Drums, FLAME, a group from upstate New York, made up of people with disabilities, Company d, a dance troupe sponsored by the Down Syndrome Association of the Mid-South, and, of course, Chris Burke and his pals Joe & John DeMasi. 

Don't forget to bring a picnic lunch to enjoy at the Park when you finish the Walk!   You won't want to miss a moment of the fun!  Keep checking back on the site for entertainment updates!

Hotel Accommodations

The list of Web sites below are provided as a source for finding hotels in the area.

http://www.nyc.com/
http://www.hotels.com/

For a list of suggested hotels near the Buddy Walk™, please click here.

Buddy Walk™ Challenge

By taking the Buddy Walk™ Challenge, a Walker pledges to raise $1,000 or more to support the education, research and advocacy programs of the National Down Syndrome Society. 

All Challengers will have their name featured on our web site and in the NDSS e-newsletter as well as on the Challenger Sign at the walk.