Visiting Fairfax, VA????

[3Beez]

Just wondering if we could possibly get some insight as to whether or not ST will be coming to VA or DC (on the east coast) in October for the DS Buddy Walk. We would love to plan on coming and want to make sure we have ample time to plan and find somewhere to stay :)

So, any information would be helpful...if we come, we will also raise some money to help so if anyone has a team or something let me know :)

[Admin]

Signing Time will be at this buddy walk....I'll post more details just as soon as I have them...but Rachel and Hopkins are looking forward to going!

-Karen

[fia's mom]

During their last home visit, my DH told the teachers from MSD about this one and I was requested to email them with the date. So I emailed the soon-to-be new director. She emailed me back and said that they are looking forward to definitely being there. How cool is that?! **Karen please let us know as soon as more info is available as I did promise the director of MSD that I would email her as soon as I knew more. Thanks!

And of course, the other cool thing is The Rainforest Cafe just outside of Fairfax. Those of us going could get together and go eat, however I would recommend reservations.

I go to Fairfax every year for my daughter's skating, so, if anyone would like, send me a PM and I can always post hotel info under the VA Buddy Walk thread.

[emschwar]

Hooray! Anyone know the date so I can put it on the calendar?

[3Beez]

10/14/06 : Fairfax, VA (They have a Rainforest Cafe right by here! ) -- Group: The Down Syndrome Association of Northern Virginia

[emschwar]

Thanks! I'm putting it on the calendar now! I can't wait!

[3Beez]

I was thinking..........maybe we could create a ST! Walk team and raise money for the Buddy Walk, then we would all get to mingle during the walk and stick together and get to know one another that day....what does everyone think about that?

[fia's mom]

I like it!

[emschwar]

I was thinking..........maybe we could create a ST! Walk team and raise money for the Buddy Walk, then we would all get to mingle during the walk and stick together and get to know one another that day....what does everyone think about that?
Great idea! I'd be in! We could even make up matching ST T-shirts!

[emschwar]

Wow, as if Rachel wasn't enough entertainment, here's some stuff I just found on the buddy walk site:

The 2006 DSANV Buddy Walk will be held on the Ellipse of the Fairfax County Government Center. There will be live entertainment, a train, a police helicopter, cartoon characters, clowns, face painters, moon bounces, a rock climbing wall, agility dogs, food vendors, an exhibitor area and lots more.

[c01dunlap]

I was thinking..........maybe we could create a ST! Walk team and raise money for the Buddy Walk, then we would all get to mingle during the walk and stick together and get to know one another that day....what does everyone think about that?
Cool idea!! I think we should be able to get ST! to offer T-Shirts by then! I'd buy several!! Hey, make them orange!

Oh, and, who is most local? I like the idea of the Rainforest Cafe, if we can all fit, LOL. Perhaps you can recommend a local place we can gather before-hand, and coordinate (and just plain introduce ourselves and kiddos).

[lletiecq]

I know my kids and I would be thrilled to get Signing Time! to the DC area. We would go just about anywhere. I will keep watching this thread for more information and I am putting it down on my calendar before I forget.

Laura in Manassas, VA
Playgroup starting next month at Bull Run Library

[fia's mom]

I like the idea of the Rainforest Cafe, if we can all fit, LOL.


I say we call and reserve the whole restaurant!LOL :D It's in the mall in Tyson's Corner which is right by Fairfax.

[3Beez]

Rainforest Cafe sounds good to me....and yeah, tell them you've got a large group coming in :) Maybe if we decide that is where we want to "mingle", we can get a head count beforehand. I can't wait to meet everyone...I really hope ST is doing this for real :)

[fia's mom]

...I really hope ST is doing this for real :)

I don't think Rachel or Karen would have let us go on this long about the whole thing if it wasn't true. My family is going, my daughter's skating coach is going (She is a new fan of ST! now), and I even invited the teachers from the Maryland School for the Deaf and they are going as well. I even mentioned that during chat and the response I got was positive, so, no worries April, ST! will be there, we'll be there, and we will all have a great time. I can't wait for us all to meet up and hang out. I think I'm more excited than the kids. Of course, I can't tell Sabrina, she will think October needs to be here now. LOL

[tyandsophiesmom]

I just talked to my husband about this last night. I was wondering if he thought he could work it into his schedule, and he said "I think I can go but even if I can't you made it to 6 hrs to MA last year in the pouring rain, a drive to VA will be a breeze!" I can't wait, I just got my real estate license and I told my kids if Mommy sells a house by then we can go for the whole week! Now how to explain to Sophie she can't bring her new puppy. :p

[Admin]

Perhaps you could explain to her that Hopkins is shy around dogs?

:-) Glad you are coming!

-karen

[tyandsophiesmom]

Perhaps you could explain to her that Hopkins is shy around dogs?

:-) Glad you are coming!

-karen

LOL That's a good idea!

[3Beez]

Antonette-

We are in Carlisle so I would say about 4 hours away from Fairfax, VA and we're going too :) Very excited!

Congrats on getting your real estate license.

[c01dunlap]

Antonette-

We are in Carlisle so I would say about 4 hours away from Fairfax, VA and we're going too :) Very excited!

Congrats on getting your real estate license.
Yes, congratulations!! That's a great accomplishment!

[tyandsophiesmom]

Thanks girls, I excited about the career change. I need the flexablity with all of Sophia's appointment, so this is a good fit.

On a sidebar April I just read your profile and found we have the same birthday! Maybe an excuse to get a cheesecake in Fairfax. Sadly for me the years of our births differ. LOL :p

[3Beez]

On a sidebar April I just read your profile and found we have the same birthday! Maybe an excuse to get a cheesecake in Fairfax. Sadly for me the years of our births differ. LOL :p


How cool! Not that I need an excuse to eat cheesecake but sure, we can celebrate a month early in Fairfax :)

[3Beez]

So, I was thinking and wish October would get here a little bit sooner (although I'm ready to enjoy summer) and I think we need to get a list of those people interested in making a team for the buddy walk and I guess raising some money to help this great cause that so many of our friends/family here and elsewhere are affected by. Since we are all from ST! we should "list" our team name as something ST related and hopefully we can get t-shirts made or something as well before this date.

So, I'll take the first notion to create a "list" of who would like to be on the team for the Buddy Walk in Fairfax in October. I'll create a spreadsheet to keep track so I don't lose my mind.


If interested, please let me know your name (s) of the walkers, your location and e-mail address so we can keep in touch as the time gets closer (since we are all so far away).

[fia's mom]

How cool! Not that I need an excuse to eat cheesecake but sure, we can celebrate a month early in Fairfax :)

I don't know if you ladies looked at the October calender, but my birthday and Rachel's happens right before the Buddy Walk! Cheesecake, here we come!

[fia's mom]

So, I was thinking and wish October would get here a little bit sooner (although I'm ready to enjoy summer) and I think we need to get a list of those people interested in making a team for the buddy walk and I guess raising some money to help this great cause that so many of our friends/family here and elsewhere are affected by. Since we are all from ST! we should "list" our team name as something ST related and hopefully we can get t-shirts made or something as well before this date.

So, I'll take the first notion to create a "list" of who would like to be on the team for the Buddy Walk in Fairfax in October. I'll create a spreadsheet to keep track so I don't lose my mind.


If interested, please let me know your name (s) of the walkers, your location and e-mail address so we can keep in touch as the time gets closer (since we are all so far away).

Barring any complications, I can walk. My older kids may be up for it also. My email's in my profile. **Hmmm, I wonder if work would let us use their graphic arts area as well as their t-shirt area. I'll have to check. Our kids do a great job. (I shouldn't call them kids, but I went to high school with some of them. They are all adults with disabilities, and I love all of them. Best group of people you would ever meet.)

[Kei_as_in_K]

I found out that the Fairfax Buddy Walk is the week before my local Buddy Walk, so as of now my family & I are planning to drive down to make the walk!

I do love the idea of having an ST! team and would love to raise money to donate to the National Down Syndrome Society on behalf of Signing Time. As you may (or may not) know, my youngest son William has Down syndrome and I love that the Buddy Walk raises awareness and to promote acceptance and inclusion of people w/Down syndrome. Every year, there is a Buddy Walk in NYC, and at Times Square on the Jumbotron screen is a video of people w/Ds. It's very cool, and I'm hoping that one of the pictures I'm submitting this year will make it in. For more information about the NDSS and the Buddy Walk, please visit http://www.buddywalk.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/aboutthewalks.contentItem/contentID/286e1572-ffd9-4b37-97c8-c82f55183933
To see last year's video, http://www.buddywalk.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/tsv.contentItem/contentID/09404688-78f0-475e-848a-242168cdf319

With Rachel's help, we should come up with an official team name to raise money. You'll find fundraising tips http://www.buddywalk.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/advocacy.contentItem/contentID/1f69d1b6-cdf1-4572-9e64-f6082908dc53

I'd love to use these tips to raise money for the Signing Time Foundation as well. How about if we can raise enough money to donate to both the STF and the Buddy Walk.

Now, since my Buddy Walk is a week after Fairfax, I wonder.... Hey Rachel, how does Western MA Buddy Walk fit into your schedule?

[c01dunlap]

April,

Thanks for volunteering to coordinate! Right now it should be me & Sophie. I don't know who else I will pull in, but as I get confirmations, I'll email you. I'm thinking my mom *might* get into it, and she lives in Philly, and has an entirely different group of people to draw from (in terms of participants and fundraising).

Hope to see ya in October!

[emschwar]

We'll walk! Noah and I, and my husband said he should be able to come too.

I'm not sure how much we'll actually be able to raise though. We're doing the Light the Night walk one month before, so we might have tapped out our resources.

Edited to fix totally bad grammar :)