Over 100 gather for ‘Mighty Steps’ walk in St. George to celebrate loved ones with Down syndrome

Written by Nick Yamashita
October 25, 2022

ST. GEORGE — The presidents of the Southern Utah Down Syndrome Association, Celeste Hallman and Katie Christensen, confirmed what appeared to be evident for the annual Southern Utah Down Syndrome Extravaganza.

Families, friends, and community members walking the Mighty Steps at the Southern Utah Down Syndrome Extravaganza at the UTU Atwood Innovation Plaza in St. George, Utah, Oct. 22, 2022 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News

“We exceeded our goal,” Hallman said of the attendance.

As a way to honor National Down Syndrome Awareness Month, which runs through the month of October, families, both immediate and extended, along with friends and supporters, gathered Saturday at 3 p.m. to embark on a walk known as “Mighty Steps” to raise awareness of Down syndrome. With over 100 people attending, most walked the course together, holding hands in support of their loved ones.

“They bring joy to us. There is nothing to be afraid of,” Hallman said. “We want them to be included and to have everything that a reciprocal person has.”

Besides the walk, the event had a small carnival with booths for face painting, Plinko, balloon pop (darts), fishing pond, cornhole, frisbee ring toss, coke ring toss, ladder toss, balloon art and lawn games, including Connect Four and more.

A silent auction took place to help fundraise for the nonprofit organization with gift baskets, including special Halloween-themed baskets. Desserts and drinks also were available.

Former DHHS Cheerleader, Taylor Terry dances at the Southern Utah Down Syndrome Extravaganza at the UTU Atwood Innovation Plaza in St. George, Utah, Oct. 22, 2022 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News

Some of the more visited booths included the balloon art in which kids could have balloon swords to fight with, balloon flowers to wave around, balloon puppies to tuck away in their bags of goodies and more.

The Desert Hills High School cheerleaders also were in attendance and cheered on the attendees during the walk and the games.

Even with the storm winds hitting an hour into the event, attendees continued on even later than their planned ending of 5 p.m.

Christensen and Hallman said the Extravanganza has been around forever, but really Southern Utah is only in its second year. The walk has been around for years, but the carnival and other activities didn’t exist before 2021.

“This is so nice to have an event like this,” Kate Snowden, a mother of a child with Down syndrome, said. “It gives us a chance to increase social opportunities and find people with similar needs and lifestyles.”

Joab Hooper, 9, celebrates while playing cornhole at the Southern Utah Down Syndrome Extravaganza at the UTU Atwood Innovation Plaza in St. George, Utah, Oct. 22, 2022 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News

The Uahh Children with Special Health Care Needs, under the Utah Department of Health, defines: “Down syndrome as a condition in which a person has an extra chromosome. … This extra copy changes how the baby’s body and brain develop, which can cause both mental and physical challenges for the baby.”

“Down syndrome remains the most common chromosomal condition diagnosed in the United States,” the organization states, adding, “In Utah, an average of 77 pregnancies are affected by Down syndrome each year. This means that Down syndrome occurs in about 1 out of every 704 babies in Utah.”

From family to family, each had a story about the joy their loved ones with the condition gave them and the widely known motto, “The Lucky Few,” a phrase taken from Heather Avis’ book, “The Lucky Few: Finding God’s Best in the Most Unlikely Places,” could be seen on decorations and displays scattered throughout the event.

 

Photo Gallery

 

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nick Yamashita has extensive experience reporting for small town media, covering a variety of subjects and events for The Virgin River Times and The Progress in Southern Nevada. Before a career in journalism, he worked a variety of jobs in criminal justice systems. Yamashita holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and a master's degree in interdisciplinary studies from Southern Utah University. He is an award-winning photographer and writer. He has been published in scholarly articles and poetry compilations. In his spare time, he practices and teaches martial arts.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews

Free News Delivery by Email

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!