LEBANON, Tenn. (WTVF) — People with special abilities and community members gathered for the state’s largest Down syndrome awareness event on Saturday at the Wilson County Fairgrounds.
The event was hosted by The Down Syndrome Association of Middle Tennessee. They celebrate and support individuals with Down syndrome and their families to promote understanding and acceptance of those with Down syndrome. On Saturday, they did so by hosting at The Extra Mile, which is the organization's primary source of funding for their programs.
The participants were thrilled the Down syndrome Association of Middle Tennessee was back in full force hosting the event in-person.
"We changed it this year to reflect going the extra mile which is truly what our community does for individuals with Down syndrome," DSAMT Executive Director Alecia Talbott explained.
It was Carleigh Piciacchia’s 14th time at the awareness event. The Cheer Enthusiast along with dozens of others living with Down syndrome are here representing a team. The team "Notorious L & T" raised the most money for the event, over $27,000.
"You know the Notorious B.I.G, so Biggie Smalls, so Lucas is
Biggie and Thomas is smalls," Participate Kathryn Chriswell said.
The teams raised funds to be poured back into the organization DSAMT.
"We don’t have much family or friends here, so we rely on the Down syndrome community here for a lot of support, family time, recreational time, and events. Things like that," Participate Salisha Marryshow-Batson said.
The biggest highlight of the event is the actual walk, because family and friends join their loved ones with special abilities to walk around the track.
Each person with Down syndrome received a gold medal from Mt. Juliet Police officers.
Families describe this community as the coolest club ever and hope the masses will eventually see how special everyone with an extra chromosome really is.
"Just love them. Love them like you want to be loved," Chriswell said.
The Down Syndrome Association of Middle Tennessee raised nearly $280,000.
