About The Missoula Buddy Walk

Anybody can be a Buddy! Come join our Annual Missoula Buddy Walk at Playfair Park in Missoula, Montana.

The Missoula Buddy Walk is a one-mile walk in which anyone can participate without special training, and the course is wheelchair accessible. The Buddy Walk, developed by the National Down Syndrome Society, has grown on a national level from 17 walks in 1995 to 200 walks nation wide in 2004. More than 180,000 people from coast to coast and abroad participated last year alone.

The goal of the Buddy Walk is to promote understanding and acceptance of people with Down Syndrome and to build a camaraderie within their communities. Every participant of Buddy Walk becomes an outstanding step in bridging the individual with Down Syndrome to their own community. We encourage your involvement - everyone from friends and family, to teachers, schools, support professionals and businesses - to join Missoula Buddy Walk in taking Steps for a Brighter Tomorrow! To see how funds raised by the Missoula Buddy Walk are used, please visit our Learn More page.

The idea for the first Missoula Buddy Walk was the dream of Mike and MaryAnn McGowan once their son, Daniel Warren McGowan, was born with Down Syndrome on April 11, 1999. Joined by friends, Andy and Mary Cross, who also have a daughter, Josilyn Ann Cross with Down Syndrome and support persons such as Mandolyn Hume, Family Support Specialist at Child Development Center and Dawn Ward, Beckie Peterson, Deb Greer, and Judi Calahan co-workers and friends of MaryAnn McGowan, the Missoula Buddy Walk became a reality in September 2002.

The passion and desire to bring Buddy Walk to Missoula and was driven by the memory of Danny McGowan, who passed away August 17th, 2001. Danny's life blessed and impacted so many people that plans to organize an event such as the Missoula Buddy Walk began almost immediately as a highlight to the memory of Danny McGowan. If you were blessed enough to be reached by the precious, sunshiny smile of Danny McGowan, you will again be touched by a similar glimmer in the faces of the many individuals with Down Syndrome who comprise the outstanding members of the Missoula Buddy Walk! Please see our Memories page.