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Support is the backbone of our organization. It is the reason this organization began: to offer support for parents and individuals with Down syndrome. It has grown to offer support to educators and healthcare professionals as well.
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Monthly Support Group Meetings
The Red River Valley Down Syndrome Society hosts monthly support group meetings Attendees are welcome to bring their concerns, ideas, and information to share with others. All are invited... teachers and other professionals are welcome to share their experiences and knowledge. For more information on upcoming meetings, click here. |
Meeting Locations:
Paris, Texas (REACH Center at 6325 Lamar Road in Reno)
Texarkana, Texas (Opportunities Inc at 6101 N. Stateline)
Sulphur Springs, Texas (location has changed)
Bonham, Texas (Burtis Home, 1305 Pine in Bonham) |
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New/Expectant Parent Packets
A packet of information is available to new parents of babies born with Down syndrome at the hospital, when the prenatal diagnosis is made, or anytime a parent new to our organization wishes to receive one. The packets contains information about Down syndrome as well as growth charts and contact information about the Red River Valley Down Syndrome Society as well as a RRVDSS bib and the book GIFTS. We are in the process of adding more items to our packets including reading materials, videos, and such. If you know of a new parent who would like to receive a new parent packet, please contact RRVDSS at (903) 783-1922 or at info@rrvdss.org.
Baby Buddies
When a new baby with Down syndrome is born, the parents are given the option of having a "baby buddy" assigned to their family. A "baby buddy" is a parent/member of RRVDSS who offers support and advice in the first year of the baby's life (the most difficult time for most parents of children with disabilities).
Ups N Downs Day Camp
The Red River Valley Down Syndrome Society is in the process of planning our first ever summer camp. This day camp will be held during the summer break for approximately one week and will be open to children ages 0 - 18 with Down syndrome and their siblings. Days will be filled with activities supervised by adult volunteers. The goal is to promote gross and fine motor skills, to encourage creativity and physical activity, and to promote social skills through interaction with other children. If you would like to help organize a summer camp in your city, please contact us.
Organized Sports Programs
We often find that our children with DS would like to play in a regular sports league, but often are not able to due to the increasing competitiveness and physical limitations. RRVDSS offers Buddy Baseball currently and is in the process of adding more sports to our overall program. If you would like to find out more about Buddy Baseball, click on the heading above.
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REACH Center
A lifelong learning center which houses the Red River Valley Down Syndrome Society's main office is located at 6325 Lamar Road in Reno, Texas (Walnut Village Shopping Center).
Hours are 10 am - 6 pm as volunteers are available to work.
Call 903-783-1922 or 877-273-4045 for more information.
Support Personnel
RRVDSS has a history of parallel support for our members. Members are always encouraged to share their experiences and advice with other members whether they are parents, teachers or healthcare professionals. In 2006, the organization added a full-time executive director to handle the day-to-day operations. An added feature is that it enables parents, educators, and healthcare professionals access to a representative of the organization at any time. The executive director is available to anyone who wishes to discuss the organization, issues that they might be having with a child or student with DS, or just needs information regarding Down syndrome. The director can also act as a liasion between members to connect those members who could benefit from each other's knowledge and also between parents and the schools when needed. To contact the executive director, please call (903) 783-1922 or e-mail dtharpe@rrvdss.org.
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