Heros, Superstars, and Clowns

Making Friends!

My last week was spent in the presence of heros, superstars and clowns!  Two of my favorite organizations decided to put their annual get-togethers, together.  After attending the National Down Syndrome Conference in Orlando, we headed to the Bahamas on the Buddy Cruise.  At each event, we enjoyed the company of people with Down Syndrome and their families / friends.

Disney Coronado Hotel

At the Disney Coronado Hotel, the NDSC Conference workshops were mixed with Disney characters and sunshine.  I attended the pre-conference sessions for NDSC Affiliates where we networked with other groups to see what they are doing for their prospective groups.  I was very excited to hear what the Indiana group is doing to help their adults find jobs.  The next day, were the regular sessions with topics ranging from infants to adults along with a film festival.  Both nights,

We know how to dance!

there were dances!  Along with the workshops, families enjoyed the Disney parks and the swimming pool.

With a stop in Cocoa Beach in between, we headed to the Buddy Cruise, a four day cruise on Royal Caribbean which headed to Nassau, Bahamas.  There were about 150 families with a tie to a person with Down Syndrome or disabilities, including Chris Burke (Corky, Life Goes On), and Boise’s own Troy McClain (Apprentice, season one).

Chris Burke and Troy McClain

What a great way to spread awareness of Down Syndrome!  The kids and adults with Down Syndrome fit right in with the crowd – dancing, swimming, laughing, and snorkeling. They were definitely “More Alike than Different”!   One of our guys even won the Belly Flop contest!  We had lots of time to enjoy the ship and the sites amidst the workshops which were awesome!  In Nassau, Bahamas, we visited the Bahamian Down Syndrome Association which was a real treat to me.

Becky made lots of new friends – most of them male…  Now comes the discussions about relationships!

The next year’s NDSC Conference will be in San Antonio, TX, and the next Buddy Cruise will be a 7 day cruise to Jamaica.  How will we ever decide what we want to do??