LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) — Lima Senior DECA students spent Saturday raising awareness for a special group of people at the Buddy Walk. The event, organized by the Down Syndrome Association of Western Ohio with support from Lima City Schools’ Joy Project, raises awareness and support for people with Down syndrome and other disabilities.
Students help coordinate the event and organize activities for participants. About ten years ago, Lima DECA students started the Joy Project in honor of their teacher’s daughter, Jada Hood. Each year, new students continue the mission to raise awareness about people with disabilities.
“Jada was born, she was born with Down syndrome. And it originally started out as a campaign for Down syndrome awareness and acceptance, but then it turned into more of like disabilities. So anyone who has a disability is basically represented by the joy project, and it's just to bring light to people who have disabilities in our community, and for us to accept them and to welcome them to be a part of our families essentially,” said Onna Hanes of The Joy Project.
“It's one of the most important thing that I am doing right now as a high schooler, and I think that that is really cool, to be able to make people see other people like that are kind of different and the same way this everybody else. You know what I mean? Because at the end of the day, we're all humans, and we all have that beat inside our chest, and that's very important for everybody else to know, because seeing people coming here to try to know,” said Kervens Jan of The Joy Project.
“Because seeing people coming here to try to be here and help everyone else, it makes me actually really happy. And seeing all my partners helping and trying to make everybody feel good. It makes me so happy,” said Bethany Castro of The Joy Project.
The Joy Project continues to raise awareness and funds through other activities during the school year, including a major fundraiser during the basketball season.
Operation Love WhoSoEver Lima also helped at the Buddy Walk by providing free tacos for participants. The nonprofit ministry has held ten events this summer, visiting locations that align with their mission of spreading the love of God in the community.
“There's a lot of things that people say about the city of Lima and our philosophy is, if you're not part of the solution, then you know, maybe you should just shush a little bit. And our whole idea is to bring love and joy, the love of God, to people here in our local community. And we think you can do that with a free taco,” said Jason Harris of Operation Love WhoSoEver Lima.
To learn more about the organization, visit them on Facebook at Operation LoveWhoSoEver-Lima.
