Elizabeth Hendrickson/MDN Community members came out to represent Designer Genes to help raise awareness for World Down Syndrome Day. From left to right are Bella Burckhard, Kevin Burkhard, Elizabeth Romanick, Ciera Wahus, Hazel Christenson and Deena Linehan.

Elizabeth Hendrickson/MDN Representatives from Target bring donated socks to the Rock Your Socks! event at The Station in Minot on Friday. From left to right are Ciera Wahus, Target Starbucks employee, and Deena Linehan, Target Visual Merchandise coordinator.

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Local community members took part in raising awareness and celebrating individuals with Down Syndrome on World Down Syndrome Day during the “Rock Your Socks!” event on Friday.

The event was put on by the Bismarck Chapter for Designer Genes. Designer Genes is an organization based in Bismarck that works to support individuals with Down Syndrome and their families through advocacy, educational resources and social activities. Its mission is to promote awareness, celebrate diversity and build an inclusive community for individuals of all abilities. “We’re thrilled to be celebrating the value and richness of individuals with Down Syndrome to bring to our community on World Down Syndrome Day,” said Kendra Vander Wal, executive director of Designer Genes of North Dakota.

This was the first year Minot has participated in the “Rock Your Socks!” event. The event is held each year and encourages individuals to wear fun colored and crazy patterned socks, take a picture, and post it online including the provided hashtag. Those who didn’t have any socks, representatives Ciera Wahus and Deena Linehan from Target donated socks that they were handing out to the first 321 individuals to purchase something from The Station, a coffee shop in Minot.

Wahus saw a post on the Designer Genes social media page promoting the event and commented about it. This got Wahus connected on how to host the event in Minot as well.

“I was first introduced to the organization 10 months ago by the hospital when my daughter Hazel was born with Down Syndrome.” Wahus commented. Hazel was at the event showing off her bright colored socks.