BY SHELBY JONES
Volunteer Development Coordinator
The 2021 summer season has officially come to a close and what a wonderful year we had! In the midst of the most unprecedented and unpredictable times, we had the opportunity to safely connect more than 900 people at 12 in-person and 1 virtual program across the country.
These in-person weekend programs looked differently from our typical model: masks, social distancing, no overnight component. And yet, we felt the PALS magic in incredible ways when our community needed us most.
“The friendships I made were so incredibly valuable and I cherished every single memory made.”
★ We welcomed 385 new folks, with and without Down syndrome, to our programs and PALS community this summer!
★ We reconnected with some of our greatest partnerships: Elmhurst University, Casino Night Family, Mane in Heaven and Creative Soles. We also built new partnerships that we cannot wait to continue: Down for Dance, Movement Lab Ohio, and Club 21.
★ We witnessed every PALS participant pledge themselves to the PALS Promise and make their own personal promises as supportive and inclusive members of our community.
★ We launched our very first program in Los Angeles, California!
★ We experienced the PALS staples at every program that brought the fun, excitement, and PALS Love.
★ We collected over 430 Congratulations Project letters, written by participants at every program, to be given to families expecting new babies with Down syndrome.
★ We ventured off of university campuses and hosted programs at unique and diverse venues that experienced PALS and became a part of our community. Special thank yous to Camp Illchester, Camp DeWitt, Elmhurst University, Diamond Ridge Camp, Tumbleweed Day Camp, Camp Chickami, Camp Bowers, Camp Lazarus, and Woodside Priory School.
★ We not only connected people in-person but also virtually during our week-long program over Zoom that gathered 100+ people from all around the world!
★ We meet 100% of sponsorship needs for travel fund applicants to access programs!
We are so grateful for the opportunities we had this past year: bringing folks together to feel connected, welcomed, and inspired. This year reminded us of the strength and resilience of our PALS community. We are gearing up for the most anticipated summer season yet! Stay tuned for information about 2022!
“This was my young adult’s first PALS experience and he couldn’t stop talking about it. He was so excited to go, talked about it all Saturday night and really enjoyed the experience. He wants to do PALS again.”