CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Two families from the Coastal Bend area will appear in the bright lights of New York City's Time Square for the 2020 NYC Buddy Walk.
Blake, Dalton, and Peyton Castillo of Corpus Christi and Kaiya Ellis of Portland, Texas will appear in the bright lights of Broadway on Saturday, September 12, as part of the National Down Syndrome Society's annual Times Square Video presentation.
The photos of Blake, Dalton, and Peyton Castillo, as well as Kaiya Ellis' photo, were selected as two of 500 photographs that will appear in the video streamed on NDSS social media from the heart of Times Square.
For 25 years, the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) has celebrated individuals with Down Syndrome at the annual Buddy Walk celebrating different families from communities across the nation through a special video presentation on a jumbo screen in the heart of the Times Square.
Buddy Walks are held both on national and regional levels and also raise awareness for people who may not be familiar with the Down Syndrome community.
NDSS raises funds for local and national organizations annually through each Walk, but this year has been a challenge for organizers because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The featured photographs highlight children, teens, and adults with Down Syndrome reminding the world in a very big way about the contributions and milestones of people with Down Syndrome," said NDSS President and CEO Kandi Pickard.
These collective images promote the value, acceptance, and inclusion of people with Down syndrome, organizers say.
“This video is a terrific way to showcase some of the incredible individuals with Down syndrome living in our communities across the country,” says NDSS President and CEO Kandi Pickard. “It is something the community looks forward to every year.”
Organizers say the Times Square Video presentation kicks off Down Syndrome Awareness Month in October and will be followed by the virtual New York City Buddy Walk.
Buddy Walk events will be held virtually in more than 150 cities across the country, as well as select international locations, this fall with over 325,000 people participating around the globe.
For information about the NDSS Buddy Walk Program, visit www.buddywalk.org or call 800-221-4602. ABOUT NDSS The National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) is the leading human rights organization for all individuals with Down syndrome.
