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Photos of Ben And Rachel Will Be Displayed in Times Square -- Children with Down Syndrome Among 250 Picked
By: Special to Bartlett Appeal Special to Bartlett Appeal
Source: The Commercial Appeal Memphis, TN
09/18/2005

Bartlett residents Ben Halvorson and Rachel Mast, both 6, will appear in lights on Broadway Sept. 25 as part of the National Down Syndrome Society's (NDSS) video production to demonstrate that people with Down syndrome can be successfully included in community activities, education and employment.

The photos of Ben and Rachel, who have Down syndrome, were selected from nearly 2,000 entries in the NDSS nationwide call for photos. Approximately 250 photographs will appear in a video production to be shown on the larger-than-life NBC Astrovision by Panasonic, located in the heart of Times Square in New York City. Panasonic has donated 40 minutes of time on the Times Square Astrovision in honor of October, National Down Syndrome Awareness month.

Ben is pictured with his cousins, Will Jaggers of Bartlett and Lucas Huber of Philadelphia . The photo was taken during a Fourth of July family reunion.

Rachel's picture is a shot of her portraying a magical baby doll in the Bartlett Performing Art and Conference Center's production of "Pinocchio" last February. Rachel's mom, Jawanda Mast, says, "These pictures show children with Down syndrome doing ordinary things just like everyone else. This goes hand-in-hand with the goal of the Buddy Walk which is a celebration of how we may all have differences, but we can be buddies, work and play side by side." Jawanda is the president of the Down Syndrome Association of the Mid- South.

The video production is the kickoff for National Down Syndrome Awareness Month and the more than 230 Buddy Walks across the country. The Mid-South Buddy Walk is sponsored by the Down Syndrome Association of the Mid-South in conjunction with the NDSS.

Locally, Mid-Southerners will gather for an afternoon of fun to help promote the awareness and acceptance of people with Down syndrome at the eighth annual Buddy Walk on Oct. 2. The one-mile Buddy Walk will be held at the Memphis Botanic Garden. Onsite registration will begin at 12:30 p.m. with the opening ceremonies commencing at 1:30 . The walk will kick off at 2 p.m.

Registration fees are $10 per person up to a family of four and $5 per family member after that . This fee includes a Buddy Walk T- shirt, lunch, entertainment, and door prize entry privileges. Pre- walk packet and shirt pickup will be on Sept. 30 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Dillard's - Oak Court Mall, top north entrance.

For information, contact the Down Syndrome Association at 541- 5155 or e-mail dsaminfo@yahoo.com . Online registration is available at the organization's Web site at dsamemphis.org .

(C) 2005 The Commercial Appeal Memphis, TN. via ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved

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