2026 DSAR Buddy Walk

Every dollar makes a difference! Your Buddy Walk fundraising helps the Down Syndrome Association of Roanoke continue providing advocacy, support, education, and inclusive opportunities for individuals with Down syndrome and their families.

Fundraising is easier than ever! We’ve created this toolkit with ready-to-use email and social media templates, tips for sharing your fundraising page, and resources to help you reach out to businesses for sponsors and donations.

Whether you raise $25 or $2,500, your efforts help make our mission possible. Every share, every donation, and every conversation helps spread awareness and build support for our Down syndrome community.

Ready to get started? Check out the resources below and start sharing your fundraising page today!

And don’t forget to check out the prize section below to see what’s up for grabs for our top 3 fundraisers!

We are so thrilled to have you joining us for the Buddy Walk as we honor and celebrate people with Down syndrome! Thank you for being an advocate for the value, acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome.

To help you and your team be successful in your fundraising efforts, we’ve put together some fundraising tips and some sample messages you can copy/paste to share with your networks. Scroll past the button for additional templates and a flyer to share.

Email

Be a Service Vendor at the 2026 Buddy Walk!

Hello!

The Down Syndrome Association of Roanoke invites you to Be a Service Vendor at our 2026 Buddy Walk!

The Down Syndrome Association of Roanoke (DSAR) will celebrate our Buddy Walk Fundraiser on Saturday, October 3rd, 2026, from 12:00–3:00 PM at Mountain View Elementary School in Roanoke, Virginia. We expect hundreds of participants and volunteers on event day, and your participation can help make this event thrive and grow!

The Buddy Walk provides advocacy, educational, and support services for families and friends of individuals with Down syndrome. We also strive to support professionals who work with individuals with disabilities. Our annual Buddy Walk offers fun activities and educational opportunities for families and people of all ages.

What You Need to Know

• Date: Saturday, October 3rd, 2026

• Time: 12:00–3:00 PM

• Location: Mountain View Elementary School, Roanoke, VA

• Vendor fee: FREE for vendors providing a community service

• Booth space: All booth space is outdoors

• Tables & chairs: Vendors are responsible for providing their own table and chairs

• Set-up: Begins one hour before the event

• Vendor hours: Vendors must remain open for the entire 12:00–3:00 PM event

• Application deadline: September 26th

While not required, many Service Vendors choose to offer an activity at their booth in addition to promotional materials. This can be a great way to engage Buddy Walk participants and attract people to your space!

As this is an all-inclusive event, vendors may not use the venue to promote or advocate political, social, or religious points of view.

We sincerely thank you for supporting our nonprofit Buddy Walk. We also hope you will consider donating a portion of any proceeds generated through the event to the Down Syndrome Association of Roanoke.

Register to Be a Service Vendor

To register, visit our Service Vendor page below. Select “Register” on the home page, then select “Service Vendor Registration” and enter the requested contact information.

During registration, you will be asked if you would like to start a fundraising page and whether you would like to join or start a team. Teams are a great way to increase engagement and attract more people to learn about your services, but they are not required.

Service Vendor Information & Registration

Questions? Please contact Marjorie Price at mprice@dsar.org.

We hope you will join us and help make the 2026 Buddy Walk a wonderful day for our families and community!

Thank you for your support!

Social Post

Be a Service Vendor at the 2026 Buddy Walk!

Know an organization or business that provides valuable services to individuals with Down syndrome, their families, or people with disabilities? Invite them to join us as a Service Vendor at the Down Syndrome Association of Roanoke’s 2026 Buddy Walk!

Saturday, October 3rd, 2026
12:00–3:00 PM
Mountain View Elementary School | Roanoke, VA

We expect hundreds of participants and volunteers, making this a great opportunity to promote your services, connect with families, and share valuable resources with our community!

Service Vendor Details:
• FREE for vendors providing a community service
• Outdoor booth space
• Vendors provide their own table and chairs
• Set-up begins one hour before the event
• Vendors must remain open for the entire 12:00–3:00 PM event
• Application deadline: September 26th
• Activities at your booth are encouraged but not required

The Buddy Walk is an all-inclusive event focused on advocacy, education, support, and creating fun opportunities for individuals with Down syndrome, their families, friends, and professionals. Vendors may not use the venue to promote or advocate political, social, or religious points of view.

We also hope Service Vendors will consider donating a portion of any proceeds from the event to the Down Syndrome Association of Roanoke.

Interested? Register here:
Service Vendor Information & Registration

Questions? Contact Marjorie Price at mprice@dsar.org.

Please share this post with an organization or business that would be a great fit for the Buddy Walk!

Goods & Services Donation Request Template

Help us make Buddy Walk 2026 even more special by reaching out to local businesses and organizations for donated goods or services!

Use the templates below to ask businesses, community partners, and other organizations to consider donating items or services that can support our event, raffle, silent auction, or other Buddy Walk activities. Simply copy the template, personalize it, and send it to businesses or organizations in your network. Text, Email, and Social Media templates are available.

Every donation, big or small, helps support the Down Syndrome Association of Roanoke and our mission. Thank you for helping us connect with generous community partners and make Buddy Walk 2026 a success!

Click the button below to access!

Sponsorship Request Template

Help us grow the impact of Buddy Walk 2026 by reaching out to local businesses and organizations about becoming a Buddy Walk Sponsor!

Use the template below to introduce the Buddy Walk and invite businesses, community partners, and organizations to support the event through sponsorship. Simply copy the template, personalize it, and send it to businesses or organizations in your network.

Sponsorships help make Buddy Walk possible and support the Down Syndrome Association of Roanoke’s mission to provide advocacy, education, support, and inclusive opportunities for individuals with Down syndrome and their families.

Interested businesses can view the sponsorship packages below to see the different levels of support and what each package includes.

Thank you for helping us connect with community partners and build a stronger, more inclusive community!

Text

Hi [Name]!

I’m participating in the Down Syndrome Association of Roanoke’s 2026 Buddy Walk on October 3rd, and I’m reaching out to ask if you or [Business Name] would consider sponsoring my team.

Sponsorships help support DSAR’s mission and every sponsorship I receive will be included in my team’s fundraising total as we compete for the top fundraiser prizes!

There are several sponsorship packages available, and you can view the options and what each package includes here:

Support 2026 DSAR Buddy Walk | PledgeIt for Charities

Thank you for considering supporting me and the Down Syndrome Association of Roanoke! Every dollar makes a difference.

Social Media

Help me reach my Buddy Walk fundraising goal!

I’m participating in the Down Syndrome Association of Roanoke’s 2026 Buddy Walk on October 3rd, and I’m looking for local businesses and community members who would consider sponsoring my team!

The best part? Sponsorship dollars count toward my team’s fundraising total! We’ll be competing for some great prizes for the top fundraising teams.

There are several sponsorship packages available, with different benefits at each level. Check out the packages and see what’s included:
Support 2026 DSAR Buddy Walk | PledgeIt for Charities

If you or a business you know would like to support my team, please send me a message!

Thank you for helping me support the Down Syndrome Association of Roanoke and its mission. Every sponsor, every share, and every dollar helps!

Email

Hi [Name],

I’m participating in the Down Syndrome Association of Roanoke’s 2026 Buddy Walk on October 3rd, and I’m reaching out to ask if you or [Business Name] would consider sponsoring my team.

The Buddy Walk helps support DSAR’s mission of providing advocacy, education, support, and opportunities for individuals with Down syndrome and their families.

Here’s an added bonus: sponsorship dollars I collect will be included in my team’s fundraising total, helping us compete for prizes awarded to the top fundraising teams!

There are several sponsorship packages available, and you can view the packages and what each level includes here:

Support 2026 DSAR Buddy Walk | PledgeIt for Charities

Thank you for considering supporting me and the Down Syndrome Association of Roanoke. Every sponsorship makes a difference!

Thank you,
[Your Name]
[Team Name]