#3a - Buddy Walk September 7, 2013

After careful thought...I cannot count this one as a 5k.  Even if I include the walk from the parking lot and back,  I still don't think it was 5k.

But it was fun.  The Down Syndrome Association of Greater Cincinnati has been doing the Buddy Walk for 12 years.  It is a fantastic organization that has helped my family tremendously throughout the years.  

We walk this year (as we do every year) in memory of Lindsay Smith, a young girl with Down Syndrome who died at age eleven and a half.  Melinda, Lindsay's mom, and I became good friends shortly after our daughters were born less than a month apart.  Lindsay's mom has a "don't mess with me attitude" that is evident in every part of her life. Often, when I am struggling with something in my life, I tell Melinda about it, and she "cuts through the crap" and asks me rather pointed questions about the problem and everything becomes very clear as to the path I should take very quickly.

Years ago, I made Melinda accompany me to the first Buddy Walk.  She wasn't interested in going and was quite verbal about it.  She did relent, and then began to formulate a idea about having a "team" of walkers in memory of Lindsay.  The next year, over 100 walkers, all wearing pink hats, walked in memory of Lindsay.  That year, the team raised over $7,000 for the Down Syndrome Association.  each year is a different cast of characters from Lindsay's life.  Aunts, uncles, cousins, former teachers, neighbors, and now, newcomers who never got to meet her participate in a grand leisurely stroll around Sawyer Point park.  At the end, we release pink balloons for Lindsay.

All in all, a good day.