Using her own experience as a mother raising a child with Down syndrome, community volunteer Amy Traweek is working to help other families improve the lives of children and adults with a disability.  She is serving her seventh year as a member of the East Texas Down Syndrome Group (ETDSG) and her second year as vice president for the group.  ETDSG is a non-profit organization that provides information, education, and moral support to families in East Texas.  

     On Saturday, October 24, the ETDSG, in affiliation with the National Down Syndrome Society, will host their eighth annual Buddy Walk of East Texas at Teague Park.  The Buddy Walk promotes acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome, and funds raised provide monthly social events for children, teens, young adults, and their families, a parent outreach program, and a monthly newsletter.

     In addition to her support of ETDSG, Mrs. Traweek is also a member of M.O.M.S., a group offering support to mothers of children with special needs.

     “I have always volunteered to be my boy’s homeroom mother, but it was my husband, Richard, who encouraged me to do more,” Mrs. Traweek said.  “While life is busy for everyone, we should feel obligated to do more in our community.”

     Mrs. Traweek was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, and graduated from Texas High School in Texarkana, Texas.  She and her husband have two children, Zachary, 11, and Hudson, 4.