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Raising Spirits, Awareness, Funds ; Down Syndrome Focus of Event
By: MONSY ALVARADO, STAFF WRITER
Source: The Record, Bergen County, NJ
09/25/2005

Sammy Vogel-Budd of Cliffside Park and Alex Turchi of Tenafly will be smiling upon Times Square today. So will 10-month old Hope Olivito of Clifton.

Photographs of the three are among 200 that will be shown on the 40-foot Astrovision screen in honor of National Down Syndrome Awareness Month. The pictures in the montage were chosen from about 2,000 entries nationwide. All are of children and adults with Down syndrome.

"The message here is that my kid is a kid," said Sammy's mother, Susan Vogel-Budd. "You see these pictures and see wonderful, bright, happy children. There is such a feeling of pride."

The 30-minute video presentation will be followed by the New York City Buddy Walk, which will be held in Central Park. The annual event, organized by the National Down Syndrome Society, not only raises funds, but also awareness of the genetic condition.

The photographs chosen depict children and adults in their community, participating in different activities, whether it be work or play.

"We want to show that people with Down syndrome are more like the rest of us than they are different," said Suzanne Elliott Armstrong, spokeswoman for the organization. "That is the message that we are trying to get across."

The photograph of Sammy and Alex was taken in the spring after the pair, with their mothers, disembarked from a Circle Line Cruise in Manhattan.

The boys stood behind a white life ring with the words "New York" written in green. As the photographer shot the picture, Sammy raised his left hand and saluted.

"It was so spontaneous," Susan Vogel-Budd said. "This picture reflects how happy and wonderful both these children are. They shine in this picture."

Also making an appearance in the video is Hope Olivito, wearing green and a big smile. Kim Olivito, Hope's mother, said she's already sent out e-mails to family and friends telling them about her daughter's big-screen debut.

"We have a little star," she said.

Both Vogel-Budd and Olivito said their children have brought them a happiness that they never could have imagined. They say they submitted their children's pictures to educate others about the chromosomal disorder.

"A lot of people don't know about Down syndrome," Olivito said. "What is wrong is that they are slower and look a little different."

Sammy is a fifth-grader at School 4 in Cliffside Park. Half of the day he is in a special education class and the rest of the day he is mainstreamed.

Like most children, Sammy likes to sleep in, hates homework, loves to be on the computer, dislikes eating vegetables and enjoys playing sports, particularly baseball. His favorite team is the Mets.

And every day before he gets on the school bus, Sammy cuddles with his mother and tells her that he loves her.

"That's my favorite part of the day," Vogel-Budd said.

More than 350,000 people in the country have Down syndrome, according to the National Down Syndrome Society.

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Fast facts

WHAT: New York City Buddy Walk

WHEN: Starts off with a 10:30 a.m. video montage presentation at Times Square. Followed by a 1-mile walk at Great Hill at Central Park. Registration begins at 11 a.m.

WHY: Sponsored by the National Down Syndrome Society, the walk's goal is to promote inclusion and awareness of Down syndrome. Also raises funds for research.

* *

Fast facts

WHAT: New York City Buddy Walk

WHEN: Starts off with a 10:30 a.m. video montage presentation at Times Square. Followed by a 1-mile walk at Great Hill at Central Park. Registration begins at 11 a.m.

WHY: Sponsored by the National Down Syndrome Society, the walk's goal is to promote inclusion and awareness of Down syndrome. Also raises funds for research.

(C) 2005 The Record, Bergen County, NJ. via ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved

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