Spring For Down Syndrome Will Take Place Saturday

By MARK EVANS

STE. GENEVIEVE HERALD

Plenty of activities will be on tap for the 12th Annual Spring For Down Syndrome  (SFDS) event this weekend.

The event resumed last year after being knocked out by COVID-19 in 2020. The year before, the date had to be juggled, to avoid conflicting with the Special Olympics. That led to SFDS teaming up with the French Heritage Festival that year. Flooding also hampered the event’s Poker Run that year.

“That was not a fun year, either,” recalled Chip Marzuco. Hopefully, last year things straightened out and from here on out, we’ll all be good.”

In 2021, things went more smoothly.

“Last year was tremendous. Last year was the biggest event ever,” Marzuco said. “We had over 350 UTVs, we had the largest amount of raffle baskets and oral auction things we’ve ever had. It was just a tremendous event last year, all-in-all. Everybody enjoyed the UTV ride last year. I know one of the stops we did, down by St. Mary, they sold out of all of the beer and food that they had, we had so many people that showed up.”

This year, all the old favorites are back, including the antique tractor show, Triumph bike ride, corn hole tournament, Smoky the Bear and other mascots being there, and of course, the mega truck car-crush.

Chicken dinners at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 11 a.m. To 7 p.m. will also be part of the fun, along with bounce houses, face painting, clowns, and other fun events for the kids. The Kona Ice truck will also be on hand as temperatures are predicted to be in the upper 90s.

This year, three bands will be playing, rather than just one. Paul Hogenmiller and ChrisAlex will play at 1 p.m. Hogen’s Heroes will perform 3-5 p.m.,  followed by Stingray until 8 p.m.

Pork burgers, hot dogs, nachos and the KC chicken dinner will all be available.

The UTV ride will head toward Bloomsdale and have some optional routes off the main route for those wanting a longer ride