Playing Together

Hundreds attend event in park for children with Down syndrome

BY KEVIN GARCIA

The Brownsville Herald

October 29, 2006 - Hundreds of families flooded into Dean Porter Park on Saturday. Music, laughter and the smell of good food filled the air as carnival games and performers entertained the crowd.

It was fun, and it was all for a good cause.

We do it for the children with Down syndrome, said Dolores Zarate, president of Down by the Bor-der, which provides a support system to parents of children with Down syndrome. We do it for the fami-lies of children with Down Syndrome. We do it for inclusiveness.

The inaugural Down by the Border Fall Festival for the fledgling organization, Saturdays picnic in the park was a complete suc-cess. An estimated 3,000 people enjoyed the carnival atmosphere, including more than 200 volunteers and about 60 children with Down syndrome.

The picnic was co-sponsored by the Brownsville Independent School District and the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College Kinesiology Department and planned for October to coincide with National Down Syndrome Awareness Month.

We get together and walk together as families, said Diana Lerma, who works with BISDs special education department. This shows that everybody is working united together.

Many volunteers came from area schools. Students were eager to help out the children honored in the event.

I came because I honestly enjoy playing with the kids, said 18-year-old Armando Quintanilla of Lopez High Schools criminal justice class. Sometimes, I think we have more fun than they do.

Volunteer Destiny Gomez, 16, said it was important that children of all abilities play together in the park.

I wanted to help kids that are mentally challenged, Gomez said. Im here with my cousin Zariah, and she had a blast.

Zariah is Zarates 5-year-old daughter. Her family never expected to have a child with Down syn-drome, but they are glad she is part of their lives.

It could happen to anybody, said Zariahs father, Sergio Zarate. If you have a child with abilities, it is your responsibility to teach them about children with disabilities, so they can play with them and look out for them in school.

Organizers said next years picnic should be even more spectacular, and they hope to see even more families attend.

Without being here in the moment, you miss the ambiance, said Ninfa Middleton, a volunteer. It was very festive. I cant wait till next year.

For more information, visit www.downbytheborder.com or call (956) 541-2085.

kgarcia@brownsvilleherald.com