A Lookback At World Down Syndrome Day

March 21st is World Down Syndrome Day and, for GiGi’s Playhouse, it’s the big deal. If all we had planned was our annual World Down Syndrome Day Party, that would be enough to get excited about. But we had so much more on tap. To get an idea, here are a few entries in Executive Director John Claes’ diary from that day:

8:00 a.m. After doing a bit of setup for the GiGi’s Playhouse’s World Down Syndrome’s Day party, I welcomed a crew from WHO Channel 13 News to do two live cut-ins during the Saturday morning Today in Iowa program.

8:15 a.m. Reporter Sklyer Stamps did a live interview with me and allowed me to talk about GiGi’s Playhouse, our World Down Syndrome Day Party, and the other events taking place in the area.

9:15 a.m.  Skyler gave a second live interview, this time with Mallory Keane and her adorable five-month-old son Marty.  Mallory talked about the experience of bringing a baby with Down syndrome into the world, “building her tribe” and turning fear into the “fiercest love” that one could imagine.  And Marty behaved like the perfect gentleman. 

9:30    After the interviews, Channel 13 wasn’t done reporting on World Down Syndrome Day.  Following live GiGi’s Playhouse segments, WHO’s Cinthia Naranjo sat down with two incredible women that we know quite well: Amber Robinson and Patty Sneddon-Kisting. In addition to being moms to kiddos with Down syndrome (Pierce and Addi, respectively), Amber and Patty serve on the GiGi’s Playhouse Board and co-host a podcast called Chromosomes and Chaos (available wherever you get your podcasts).

10 to Noon:    This year’s World Down Syndrome Party was EPIC!  There were an estimated 200 family members gathered, and everyone had a blast! Everywhere you looked, there was something to do. We had a “Rock your Socks” decorating station, music by DJ DAS, food from Hy-Vee, coffee from Friedrich’s Coffee, music by DJ DAS, and Down syndrome merchandise for sale. Members of the Windsor Heights Fire and Police Departments came to join the celebration and even Crash, the Iowa Wild mascot, was on hand to party with us.  It was a fun and unforgettable event!

3:45 p.m.         After a short rest, I went to the Jordan Creek Barnes and Noble to spend some time with Jerod Garland, his wife Leah and daughter Cayla.  Jerod, as some of you may know, wrote a book called Shovels and Spades, a memoir about “a father’s journey parenting a spirited daughter with Down syndrome”.  That daughter, Cayla, is now 17 and she is a beautiful young lady.

5:20 p.m.         By now, I was hungry and glad that Red Robin Gourmet Burgers was right around the corner. And fortunately, my family was free to join me, too, because Red Robin was doing a fundraiser for GiGi’s Playhouse on World Down Syndrome Day. And we weren’t the only ones to dine there and say, “GiGi’s Playhouse sent me”.  We know, because the 20% give back from their day-long fundraiser raised over $800 for our Playhouse!!

Nice way to end the day, wouldn’t you say?