About DSANI
Like
other parents locally, Deb Gavette dreamed of having a support group for
families of individuals of all ages affected by Down syndrome. In
the northeast Indiana region, families were disbursed among service providers
such as the Learning and Development Center, ARC, Turnstone, and AWS.
When Deb learned about the National Down Syndrome Society's Buddy Walks held
throughout the country, she discovered that due to the absence of a parent
support group here, no one was sponsoring a walk in this region. With the help
of friend and fellow parent Laurie Shomo, the NDSS, families, friends, and
corporate sponsors, she organized northeast Indiana's first Buddy Walk.
After learning of the walk in the newspaper and on the NDSS website, other
families approached Deb about their desire for a Down syndrome parent group
and her dream began to materialize. She then recruited several more families
to form a steering committee to explore the formation of such a group.
From October 1999 until March 2000 the group met monthly to discuss specifics
on forming this organization. Finally, the steering committee scheduled March
3, 2000 for a community wide inaugural meeting and invited the NDSS
to attend, speak, and accept DSANI's donation from funds raised by the Buddy
Walk.
And so the mission began ...
The Down Syndrome Association of Northeast Indiana exists as an advocacy organization
to enhance the lives of individuals with Down syndrome, provide information and support
to families and professionals, and promote awareness and acceptance
of individuals with Down syndrome within our community.