Written by Nick Yamashita November 3, 2023
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SANTA CLARA — Southern Utah families and community members gathered in Santa Clara last weekend for the annual Mighty Steps for Down Syndrome Extravaganza to celebrate loved ones who have Down syndrome.
On Saturday, Oct. 28, members and associates of the Southern Utah Down Syndrome Foundation gathered at Swiss Pioneer Memorial Park to support local families and those diagnosed with Down syndrome and participate in the Mighty Steps Walk, which kicked off at about 1:30 p.m. The annual event serves as a way to celebrate differences, spread awareness and raise funds to continue foundation efforts.
“This is what this mighty day is all about — to help support and bring together those who have been Down Syndrome blessed,” said Celeste Hallman, who serves as co-president with Katie Christensen for the foundation.
Hallman said over 225 people registered for the walk and over 40 volunteers helped out in producing another successful year.
The event featured a carnival-style extravaganza with game booths and activities, such as darts, balloon art, football toss, golf put, fishing wall, ring toss and more. Most of the games were built and run by the Desert Hills High Service Club, whose members donated their time beginning weeks ago to help bring the event to life.
While the event was held last year at the campus of Utah Tech University, this year they held it at Swiss Pioneer Memorial Park in Santa Clara.
“We wanted more of an intimate setting with a playground and bathrooms,” Hallman said. “It was a perfect size.”
Christensen said they reach out to different cities each year to help support their cause and this location was just right.
During the walk, participants paraded around the park once, with some holding signs of support, yelling their loved one’s name or chanting encouraging messages. Some laughed and smiled, but all joined in unison for three purposes; to love, lift and launch each other and their “blessed” loved ones.
Hallman said it was important this event showed the blessing of having a Down syndrome loved one. Christensen said she hoped this event would continue to help break down the stereotype of these gifted individuals being falsely considered unintelligent.
“There were so many typical kids here today that we saw interacting with those kids with disabilities,” Christensen said. “They get to know them, and these kids know they are not (unintelligent).”
Hallman said it’s important to recognize the wide range of differences in humanity; there is not one individual who is the same. Some people wear glasses while others need hearing aids, she added.
“We’re all different,” she said. “Just because our outward appearance might be different, it doesn’t mean that our inner is different. … We’re all the same, but we all have differences at the same time.”
The Mighty Steps Extravangaza is sponsored and hosted by the Utah Down Syndrome Foundation. The organization works to raise awareness and support for those who have been diagnosed with Down syndrome, as well as their loved ones. This congenital condition usually arises from a defect involving the 21st chromosome. The more common version is an extra copy of that chromosome. This is known as Trisomy-21
The presidents of the Southern Utah Down Syndrome Foundation expressed gratitude to the sponsors and supporters and to all those who attended and participated.
Besides the walk, comradery and entertainment, the event was one of the organization’s main fundraisers.
There were several donations of cash, silent auction baskets and prizes from multiple businesses. All of the donations in total were over $22,000 in value, event organizers said.
The silent auction items and baskets along with the raffle also raised money but the amount had yet to be counted. The co-presidents said they figured it would be over $2,000.
One of the big prizes was a full, handcrafted wood dartboard set-up with the target, backboard, and racks with top-quality darts. The prize was donated by Green Monkey Woodworks.
Some of the main sponsors and supporters were Stephen Wade, St. George Shuttle, Albertsons, Target, Smith’s, Big Lud’s BBQ, Party Clique and Sign Gypsies. Big Lud’s BBQ provided the meal, Party Clique provided the bounce house and the Sign Gypsies provided the yard sign for the event.
Their next event will be a Christmas dinner on Dec. 11.
The co-presidents of the foundation extended an invitation to all those who are “blessed” with a Down syndrome loved one to explore what the foundation has to offer.
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