DSAM I n s i g h t s

P os t S TE P UP fo r D ow n S yn dr om e

E d i t i on De c e m be r

First and foremost I’d like to thank all of the sponsors,

committee members, DSAM’s board and the many volun-

teers who helped to make the 2014 STEP UP for Down

Syndrome the tremendous success it was.

Over 3,300 people attended DSAM’s largest fundraiser

and awareness event of the year, the 17th annual STEP

UP for Down Syndrome at the Memphis Botanic Gar-

den on October 19th. Our number of walkers increased

over 2013 and we had over 100 teams. STEP UP raised

over 115K for DSAM.

The day was kicked off with a proclamation from Shelby County Mayor

Mark Luttrell. The highlight of the day was the Chris Burke concert.

He sang, danced & entertained the crowd and officially led the dancing.

A great time was had by all and I am truly honored to have been a part

of this wonderful event!

Many Thanks to All

Who Cared!

Denise Martin

2014 STEP UP for

Down Syndrome Chair

DSAM Staff

Executive Director

Martine Hobson

Social Events Coordinator

Sonya Oliver

Office Manager

Karen Richards

Administrative Assistant

Kay French

Office Assistant

Karen Pirocchi

SACD Instructor

Marva Gumbel

Reading is Key Instructor

Belle Eftink

Medical Outreach

Tonya Lukic

Website: DSAmemphis.org

2014 STEP UP

Another Success

2014 SUDS Prizes and Awards—Congratulations!!

DSAM I n s i g h t s Page 2

STEP UP for Down Syndrome Committee

Largest Youth & School

Teams:

Phi Mu Ladies

Stephanie Pierce, Captain

Madona Marchers

Carol Baucum, Captain

Briarcrest Wilson Society

Kathy Hammond, Captain

Denise Martin, Chair

Jeffrey Allen

Sherry Brooks

Steve Baucum

David Elliott

Brenda Farley

Kay French

Kathie Gouge

Carol Greenwald

Marva Gumbel

Phil Hagood

Donna Hardin

Michael Herndon

Elliott Hobson

Martine Hobson

Holly Holt

Bridget Joy

Sharion McInnis

Kay McLaughlin

Phillip Martin

Sonya Oliver

Kay & Gene Reves

Karen Richards

Cindy Robb

Sheila Siegal

Sharon Smith

John Stamps

Nancy Thielemier

Denise Martin, Committee Chair, welcomes sponsors

Elaine Enis of Cash in a Flash, and Hope Mouhot and

Scott Overstreet from Smoothie King

Double the Love

Goin’ Gray

Jack Be Nimble,

Jack Be Quick

Jackson’s Journey

JB’s Little Elvi

Jenna’s Joy

We have Team Photos at the DSAM Office and

will have them at the Holiday Party as well ..

Call us for office hours during the holidays!

Joshua’s Tree

Keith’s Crusaders

Laurie’s League

Sutton’s Buttons

Team Carter

Team Ebonee

Largest Family Teams:

Double the Love,

Jordon Dickson, Captain

Emily B’s Buddies,

Connie Bowlan, Captain

Goin’ Gray, Cindy Robb,

Captain

Top Team Pledge Raisers:

Sutton’s Buttons, Erin Shepherd,

Captain

Goin’ Gray, Cindy Robb, Captain

Jenna’s Joy, Sonya Oliver Captain

Top Self Advocate Pledge

Raisers:

Team Ebonee, Ebonee Clark,

Captain

Keith’s Crusaders, Keith

Greenwald, Captain

Laurie’s League, Laurie Hobson,

Captain

Largest Adult / Corporate Teams:

West TN Family Solutions, Carol Greenwald, Captain

Company d, Nancy Thielemier, Captain

TIE: Nancy’s Rockstars / Autozone,

Nancy Loggins / Holly Holt, Captains

Sutton’s Buttons

Page 3

Chris Burke with Joe & John DeMasi

Chris, Joe & John say they

love to visit Memphis. They

kept quite busy before and

after the walk, performing at

assemblies for four area

schools. Chris was also inter-

viewed on Live at 9.

Saturday night before the

walk, DSAM’s self advocates

were invited to a mixer to

meet Chris Burke, thank him

for his participation in the

2014 STEP UP for Down

Syndrome, and to have some

fun.

We extend a special thanks to

Landers Auto Group for spon-

soring their visit and provid-

ing them a courtesy vehicle.

Bartlett High School

Pleasant Hill Elementary

With Alex Coleman & Marybeth Conley at WREG Studios

The Exceptional Foundation

The Exceptional Foundation

Memphis Botanic Garden Main Stage

Page 4 DSAM I n s i g h t s

Thanks to ALL who Made 2014’s STEP UP a Huge Success:

All Star Bowling

Amerispan

Baddour center

Baptist Women's Hospital

Bartlett nursery

BCBS

Best Buy

Brim's Snack Foods

Caesar's

Cash in a Flash

Chick fil A Wolfcreek Market

Coca-Cola

Collierville Shop Local

Costco

Cottonwood Office Park

Curtis Printing

Dawson Lee

Dirt Cheap Ice

Easy Way Produce

Enterprise

Fed Ex

FedX Cares

Fred's Inc.

Happy Times Farms

Heinz

DSAM I n s i g h t s

Hicks Convention Services

Humdingers

ILS Aviall

Incredible Pizza

International Paper

Jeremy Parks Giving Back

Joppa Jumps

Kemmons Wilson Company

Kroger

KWAM 990

LANDERS AUTO GROUP

Larry Dodson

Little Caesar's Pizza

Live At Nine

Malvin Massey

Mayor Mark Luttrell

McDonalds

Memphis Botanic Garden

Memphis Parent Magazine

Memphis Zoo

Midtown Nursery

Mississippi RiverKings

Mohawk Ministries

Monogram Foods

Nolan AV

O'Charleys

P3i Systems

Pediatrics East

Pepsi

Scott & Susan Plunkett

Secret Order of the Boll Wevils

Shrine Clowns

Smoothie King

Sonic

SOUTHLAND PARK GAMING & RACING

Southwest Airlines

Speak Creative

Sprint

Ted Domek

The Exceptional Foundation

The Lori Siegal Family

The Stephen J Bratkowski Foundation

The T-Shirt Company

Total Concept Graphics

Turner Dairy

Urban Earth

Walmart-Sams

Wendy's

WUMR U92 FM

Wyatt Bunker

Although we’ve just finished up with the 17th annual

STEP UP for Down Syndrome we are already gearing up

for our 18th walk.

Mark your calendar for October 18, 2015 to cele-

brate our most important annual fundraising and aware-

ness event, STEP UP for Down Syndrome.

For the event to continue to grow, prosper and im-

pact our community, we need YOUR HELP! There are

dozens of planning and organizing opportunities.

Contact 901-547-7588 or events@DSAMemphis.org and

we’ll get you busy!

Thank you in advance for helping DSAM to support

and empower people with Down Syndrome and their

families. Your support helps DSAM fulfill our mission

through:

Thanks for Your Help!

Creating Newsletters, maintaining the website,

Funding educational seminars and social

events,

Providing conference stipends and support

services for families,

Providing information for families with new-

born babies born with Down Syndrome,

Providing Down syndrome Specialist training

for teachers,

Advocating for rights of individuals with Down

syndrome,

Promoting Leadership and volunteer develop-

ment and

Maintaining the DSAM office and Staff

STEP UP for Down Syndrome 2015

Already Needs YOU!

The Partners in Progress Award was

created in 2002 by the Down Syndrome

Association of Memphis & the Mid-South

as a way to recognize individuals, groups

or organizations who have shown excep-

tional efforts to include individuals with

Down Syndrome and other disabilities in

the community.

The award’s name was changed to the Lori M. Siegal

Partners in Progress Award in 2006 to celebrate and

honor the life-long efforts of Ms. Siegal to increase aware-

ness of Down syndrome within the community. Siegal was

the first self advocate elected to the DSAM board of direc-

tors and was the 2005 co-chair of the Buddy Walk.

THE 2014 NOMINEES

Becky Kennedy

Madonna Learning Center

Hope Presbyterian Church

Jessica Yeager

Bartlett 9th Grade Academy

Page 5

2014 Lori M. Siegal Partners in Progress Award

Among other things, Jessica started

“Panther Pals,” a student-to-student

mentoring program at

Bartlett 9th Grade Academy.

2014 PARTNER IN PROGRESS

WINNER

JESSICA YEAGER

What a beautiful

day for a Walk!

Find us on Facebook for LOTS more pictures!

2893 South Mendenhall, Suite 3

Memphis, TN 38115

901.547.7588 fax 901.547.7589

Email admin@DSAmemphis.org

www.DSAmemphis.org

D S AM I n s i g h t s Non Profit Org.

U.S. Postage Pd.

Germantown,

TN

Permit 105

COMING IN 2015

Inclusion Workshop with

Michael Remus 1/31

New Family Brunches

Educational Opportunities

for Children & Adults

YES, I/we want to make a contribution to the Down Syndrome Association

DSAM appreciates your help to continue to grow our programs and as an organization. The form below was designed for your convenience in making a donation, memorial or year-end gift.

Name(s) ________________________________________________________________________

Address ________________________________________________________________________

City, State, Zip _________________________________ Phone ________________________

Email __________________________________________________________

I would like my gift to be: In honor of: ________________________________________

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Person(s) to receive acknowledgment of honorarium or memorial:

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To make a credit card donation, please visit our secure website: dsamemphis.org

& select “Support” to make a secure donation through PAYPAL

— or — call DSAM at 901-547-7588 to make a telephone donation

_____ Please send me information about including the Down Syndrome Association of Memphis & the Mid-South in my will.

We thank you for your ongoing support!