Dads Appreciating Down Syndrome, or D.A.D.S.

Dads Appreciating Down Syndrome, or D.A.D.S., is a committee or community group (within a local Down syndrome support organization) of fathers of children who happen to have Down syndrome. We hesitate to call our self a "support group", even though we do, in many ways, support each other.

The 3 foundational pillars of D.A.D.S. are Support, Action and Fellowship. You won't find us in a church basement drinking warm coffee and whining about having children with Down syndrome. Instead, you'll find us out in the community coaching our kids' sports teams, participating in our children's IEPs, volunteering at local Down syndrome fund-raising events, and even sponsoring fund-raising events of our own.

The cornerstone of D.A.D.S. groups is the monthly meeting where members come together to share insights and experiences. Face it: there are certain responsibilities that generally fall on the shoulders of the father. Having a child with special needs often affects how we approach those responsibilities.

We invite expert speakers to discuss medical, educational, financial, social, and any other issues that affect our children's lives. And of course, we share stories and experiences that are unique to fathers of children with Down syndrome. Your colleagues at the office may not understand your excitement when your 5 yr old makes "poopie" on the toilet for the first time, but other D.A.D.S. will, because we've all been there.

Roger Reinhardt is our TeamLead for the D.A.D.S. group, if you are interested in learning more about D.A.D.S. come to our April 2nd meeting at 6:30pm, at the office of A.R. Savage & Son, 202 S Rome Ave #200, Tampa, FL 33606

DREAM TWEENS meets quarterly for fun events at various locations in West Florida. Hosted by Sue Warady-Keene, her husband Derek and their lovely daughter Alex.

April 7th at 1pm we will be meeting at the Florida Aquarium in Tampa Fl. 701 Channelside Dr, Tampa, FL 33602

Please RSVP on our Facebook Events page “FRIENDS DOWN SYNDROME WEST FLORIDA” to reserve your child's spot. FDSWF will be covering the cost of 1 Adult/1DS Child.

Questions? Call Sue Warady-Keene at (630) 914-4114

FRIENDS SELF-ADVOCATE SOCIAL CLUB. for our FDSWF adults 18yrs and up will meet quarterly for fun events at various locations in West Florida. Hosted by Ann & Paul Foyt and their son Zachary.

April 7th at 1pm we will be meeting at the Florida Aquarium in Tampa Fl. 701 Channelside Dr, Tampa, FL 33602

Please RSVP on our Facebook Events page “FRIENDS DOWN SYNDROME WEST FLORIDA” to reserve your Self-Advocates spot. FDSWF will be covering the cost of 1 Adult/1DS Adult.

Questions? Call Ann Foyt (813) 245-2782

FDSWF has partnered with HUGS or Help Us Gather. Help Us Gather works to connect people with special needs to social events and activities. They serve people with special needs by providing a free and easy way to find or share events that are created for people with disabilities. Help Us Gather is part of The Helping Project, a 501c3 public charity. They are putting together a fashion show and are inviting FDSWF members and any special needs women 14yrs plus to join them for a night of glamour. FDSWF will have a table at the event. 

Beyond Beautiful is a fashion event to celebrate exceptional women of all abilities. The night will feature title holding beauty queens, glamour stations for hair, makeup and accessories, a fashion show that emphasizes qualities of inner beauty and more! We have confirmed the attendance of Miss Wheelchair Florida, Miss. Southeast International, Miss St. Petersburg Outstanding Teen & Mrs. Southwest Florida International!

D E T A I L S
Who? Women of 14 years or older and of all abilities are invited to attend.
What? A celebratory fashion event.
Where? Saint Paul United Methodist Church; 1498 Rosery Rd. NE, Largo, Florida 33770
When? Saturday, April 14th, 2018 from 6:00 – 8:30 pm
Dress? Dressy encouraged, but not required.
Why? Because girls just want to have fun!

We are so thrilled you want to participate in Beyond Beautiful.

Here is the link to register: http://hugtampabay.org/beyond-beautiful/
FDSWF members can use the code HUGBEYOND to waive the fee. 

Thank you so much HUGS for supporting FDSWF and our Down syndrome community! For more information call Joy Hmielewski at (727)489-5885.