Mar. 22—The Green River Area Down Syndrome Association (GRADSA) celebrated World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD) on Tuesday, an awareness day that has been observed officially by the United Nations since 2012.
Britt Cobb, executive director of GRADSA, said the purpose of WDSD is to recognize people with
Down syndrome.
“It happens every year on March 21,” she said. “People with Down syndrome have a trisomy of chromosome 21, so they have three copies instead of two. That’s the significance of 3/21.”
Part of the celebration was to wear fun socks, which Cobb said is because the chromosome is shaped like a sock.
The event was originally scheduled for Smothers Park, but was changed to the GRADSA Achievement Office due to weather.
“The purpose of the event is for the families to see the support they have and for our individuals to understand we’re celebrating them today,” Cobb said.
The global theme for 2023 WDSD is “With Us, Not for Us.”
“That is a human rights-based approach to World Down Syndrome Day,” Cobb said. “It means we want to be engaged with you, and we want a seat at the table, not just to be seen as ‘charity.’ It’s not enough to just support. We want people with Down syndrome to have a voice everywhere.”
Cobb said there were several partners in the community that celebrated WDSD alongside GRADSA.
“One of our members is an employee at Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline, and they rocked their crazy socks and posted a photo with him,” she said.
Highland Elementary School celebrated with a yard sign in front of the school, Daviess County High School had three people with Down syndrome on their morning news broadcast, and First Presbyterian Church lit up its steeple blue and yellow in recognition of the day.
“We’re grateful for all of our community partners,” Cobb said.
Cobb said she has been discussing with GRADSA board members about creating a specific committee for WDSD for next year.
“It’s to ensure we can educate, advocate and celebrate,” she said.
GRADSA covers seven counties: Webster, Union, McLean, Daviess, Henderson, Hancock and Ohio. Among those seven counties, GRADSA services 150 people with Down syndrome.
“We are located in Owensboro, and part of my vision for 2023 is access and how we can increase our access to surrounding counties,” Cobb said. “It’s harder for those families to get here.”
That is why Cobb said she created an “online bingo” for this year’s WDSD. The card listed activities families could do around their community and home, like baking a cake or reading a book with a buddy.
“The hope was to allow people in other counties to share what they were doing locally,” she said.
Merek Justice, 23, was at the GRADSA event with his mother, Mary Justice.
“I like food and people and making people happy,” he said on why he wanted to attend the event.
Merek Justice was “rockin’ ” his crazy socks during the event. He attends GRADSA’s art classes regularly and has attended the annual Buddy Walk.
For more information about GRADSA, visit www.gradsa.org.
