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Trihydro to Match up to $10,000 for the 2007 Buddy Walk

(LARAMIE, WYOMING)---First held in 2001, the Wyoming Buddy Walk increases awareness and celebrates the lives of Wyoming citizens who have Down Syndrome. The goal of the Buddy Walk is to raise money to provide programs and services for individuals with Down Syndrome and their families.

Ark Regional Services founded the Wyoming Buddy Walk and now partners with the Wyoming Down Syndrome Association to organize the event. The Wyoming Buddy Walk in Laramie is the only Buddy Walk in the state. The first Buddy Walk was in 1995, with walks in 17 cities across the United States . This year there are 260 Buddy Walks scheduled from September through November with more than 275,000 people expected to participate.

Last year, the Wyoming Buddy Walk raised more than $45,000. This year, that number could be easily surpassed, thanks to a Wyoming Business Matching Program. Trihydro, EnCana Oil, and First Interstate Bank have combined to match up to $10,000 in pledges. Funds are raised through business sponsorships, families, individuals who collect pledges and any leftover funds from the registration fees.

About the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) Buddy Walk
The Buddy Walk was established in 1995 by the National Down Syndrome Society to celebrate Down Syndrome Awareness Month in October and to promote acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome. Today, the Buddy Walk program is supported nationally by NDSS and organized at the local level by parent support groups, schools and other organizations and individuals.

Over the past twelve years, the Buddy Walk program has grown from 17 walks to more than 275 expected in 2007 across the country and around the world. Last year alone, 250,000 people participated in a Buddy Walk! They raised more than $6.5 million to benefit national education, research and advocacy initiatives, as well as local programs. These funds enable NDSS and local groups to offer services that support and enhance the quality of life for individuals with Down syndrome and their families.