We are so excited for another year of celebrating World Down Syndrome Day through the annual "Lots of Socks" Window Display Event! Each year, our community comes together to raise awareness of, and celebrate, inclusion using brightly coloured displays - made of socks!
Why socks?
Down Syndrome International, who started the Lots of Socks movement, adopted the sock as a symbol to help spread the word. Socks were chosen as a symbol for this campaign because, if you take two socks and place them heel to heel they resemble a chromosome! What do chromosomes have to do with it? Down Syndrome is the result of a person being born with an extra 21st chromosome (3 instead of 2).
On March 21st, World Down Syndrome Day, everyone is encouraged to wear their loudest, most brightly coloured, patterned, and even mismatched socks, to create awareness and start a conversation. On this day, we encourage you to wear your socks overtop of your pants to really get people asking what this day is all about!
Why we Celebrate and Why Portraits?
Everyone deserves a sense of belonging and we all deserve to be able to relate to those around us from peers, to those we see in the media. Hanging portraits of community members living with Down Syndrome also helps to normalize disability while shining a spotlight on the individual and what makes them, them. We are more alike than different and the beautiful portraits captured by photographer Jamie Edwards of JME Photography Studio show everyday people, in everyday situations or, with some special effects, everyday people in some seriously cool scenes based on their relatable interests. The themes of these portraits reinforce the message that we are more the same than different.
Kincardine started the Lots of Socks Window Display Event back in 2015 with only a handful of businesses. Since then, it has grown to see over a 100 participating businesses gaining an abundance of traction on social media, lots of supporters rocking their socks on March 21st and taking part in the event by voting for their favourite business window display.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank our amazing volunteer photographer, Jamie Edwards of JME Photography Studio .
To register, email cmc@clkd.ca with your business name and address and we will be sure to drop off a poster and portrait for your display.
Important Dates:
March 15th
Businesses - Please have your Windows Decorated and start sending in your photos/video for judging. Files can be emailed to cmc@clkd.ca.
March 18th
Businesses - Deadline for photos. You MUST submit a photo to compete for the Golden Sock Award. Please email photos or a short video to cmc@clkd.ca.
March 21st, World Down Syndrome Day
Everyone - Voting is OPEN until noon on our website and available to everyone.
Business window and Golden Sock Award winner will be announced!
Everyone - Wear your most colourful, patterned and even mismatched socks in support of World Down Syndrome Day. Take your "Sock Selfies" and post them to social media. Don't forget to email them to cmc@clkd.ca so we can include them on our social channels.
Everyone - Use #WorldDownSyndromeDay #LotsofSocks #WDSD24 #RockyourSocks and join the global conversation!
Questions? email cmc@clkd.ca or call our office 519-396-9434