The Panhandle Down Syndrome Guild’s annual Buddy Walk on Saturday brought thousands of participants to Sam Houston Park in Amarillo on a rainy day. An estimated 3,000 attendees gathered in support of individuals with Down syndrome, as well as their families, and friends, making the walk one of the largest and most heartwarming events in the Texas Panhandle.
For Jeff Medford, treasurer of the Panhandle Down Syndrome Guild and a key organizer of the walk, the event holds personal and emotional significance. “The Buddy Walk is about advocacy, awareness, and fun,” Medford said. “It’s a chance to show the community that we have a vibrant Down syndrome presence here and a time for us all to come together, play, and connect in ways that foster understanding.”
Participants traveled from various corners of the region, some from as far as Eastern New Mexico, Southeast Colorado, South Kansas, and Western Oklahoma. Medford noted the event’s broad reach, expressing pride in how the Buddy Walk has grown. “We have people from all over — Lubbock, Plainview, Hereford, Perryton — it’s amazing how the community rallies around this cause,” he said.