Best buddies in the big city: Whipple boy’s photo featured in Times Square presentation | News, Sports, Jobs

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Brooks Wenzel, 5, his mother Sara and friends and relatives will go to New York City on Sept. 9 for the annual Times Square video presentation by the National Down Syndrome Society, then the Brooks Brigade team will walk in the Buddy Walk at Central Park. Brooks, who is entering kindergarten at Shenandoah Elementary School in Noble County, poses in front of Seneca Lake in Senecaville, Ohio.
(Photo Provided)

WHIPPLE — A Whipple boy next month will be among the 500 or more photos in a video presentation by the National Down Syndrome Society in Times Square in New York City.

Brooks Wenzel, 5, his mother, Sara, and friends and relatives will go to New York City on Sept. 9 and watch the annual video presentation, then go to Grand Central Park for the Buddy Walk to raise awareness of Down Syndrome and funds for programs helping families.

“We’re very excited,” Sara said. “A little nervous about taking a 5-year-old boy to the big city, but I think it will work out well.”

Brooks is entering kindergarten at Shenandoah Elementary School in Noble County.

The video is an hour long and is of about 500 photographs of children, teens and adults with Down Syndrome from all states. The images promote the value, acceptance and inclusion of people with Down Syndrome in a visible way, the society said.

Brooks’ picture was chosen from about 2,400 photos submitted worldwide. The video will be shown on JumboTron screens in Times Square, through the support of ClearChannel Outdoor, above Dos Caminos restaurant in Father Duffy Square.

The presentation also will be live streamed on the Down Syndrome Facebook page from 9:30-10:30 a.m. Sept. 9.

“I’m excited to see what he thinks of himself on the big billboard,” Sara said.

After the presentations, Brooks’ team, the Brooks Brigade, will walk in the Buddy Walk. Father Heath Wenzel is staying home.

Members of Brooks Brigade are Brooks and his mother Sara, aunt Kaylea Barnette, Sheridan Archer, Sheldon Archer, Dan Hupp, Tanya Hitchens, Rylee Hitchens, Katie Conaway, Preston Conaway, Emily Shumar and Vander Shumar.

Another team will participate in a Buddy Walk on Oct. 1 at the Fortress Obetz Center in Columbus, Sara said.

People can also register online to virtually participate without being there by going to give.ndss.org, she said. Participants will get a T-shirt.

The New York City Buddy Walk is held at the Naumburg Bandshell in Central Park, an event held since 1995. The nearest walk to this area is Down Syndrome Network of West Virginia Buddy Walk on Sept. 30 in Charleston.

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