Cameron DuBois is ready to 'Par-Tee Down' next month to help people with Down syndrome

Things should be a bit more chill the second time around at the Cameron DuBois Par-Tee Down Classic Golf Tournament, happening Oct. 6 at Montgomery's Lagoon Park Golf Course.

Last year's inaugural event took place during a blistering July. The combination golf tournament, shrimp boil, silent auction and concert raised around $16,000 for the Montgomery Area Down Syndrome Outreach Group.

"We're very thankful for how many people were supportive around the community," said DuBois, a Montgomery native singer/songwriter who has a family connection with Down syndrome in Montgomery.

DuBois is bringing the full "Par-Tee" back for year two, but it made sense on a couple of different levels to push it into fall — October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month, and it's likely to be a lot cooler than Alabama in the height of summer.

"It was fantastic, although having it in the beginning of July was super, super hot," said Trish Robinson, president of the outreach group, speaking on last year's event.

Tournament registration for October is happening now. It's $150 a person to play in the golf tournament, which includes dinner and the concert. For those who want to attend just the dinner and concert, it's $50. Tee off is at noon, with a silent auction and shrimp boil at 3:45 p.m., and DuBois with Bama Sound in concert at 4:30 p.m.

"Cameron has been a fantastic supporter of our area group," Robinson said. "We are just so blessed that she has chosen us as her beneficiary for this fundraiser."

Register online at https://playmontgomerygolf.com/cameron-dubois-par-tee-down-classic-golf-tournament

Along with bringing awareness and advocating for quality of life improvements for families throughout central Alabama, the funds help Montgomery Area Down Syndrome Outreach Group with gatherings, meals and activities for families affected by Down Syndrome. They also offer $500 grants to member families.

"The fundraiser that Cameron does is a huge part of allowing us to have those grants," Robinson.

Living with Down Syndrome in the River Region

"Every child with Down syndrome is so different," said Robinson, whose son Joseph has it as well. "It's such a broad spectrum, from their health needs to their cognitive disabilities, to their mobility needs. It's so different."

Down syndrome is a genetic condition in which children have abnormal cell division. A resulting copy of chromosome 21 leads to physical and developmental changes.

Robinson said 1 in every 650 children are born with Down syndrome. In the River Region area, her group has 98 families registered, with children that range from infants to 30-year-olds. They recently added four new families.

"I'm sure that there are more out there that we just haven't connected with yet," Robinson said.

Parents of Down Syndrome children have all the same joys, pains, time requirements, and more that all parents face. But they often need to visit specialists for extra care.

"From cardiologists to pulmonologists, endocrinologists," Robinson said. "Above and beyond the normal pediatrician appointments. We also have a tendency to have a lot of developmental delays."

Along with therapies for issues like physical and speech needs, Robinson said there's also feeding therapy.

"A lot of times, our children have to learn how to eat," Robinson said. "Our children have to learn how to chew their food, or how to suck a bottle."

People with Down syndrome are frequently on the autism spectrum, Robinson said.

"That is where we are," she said. "That adds an extra layer of things, so we have to approach some of our therapies a little bit different, and add on some ABA therapy as well. The most difficult part of that aspect of things is the limited resources for ABA therapy for autism in the River Region. It's very limited. We find ourselves on waiting lists for a long time before we can get the services that we need."

Robinson said she and her husband feel blessed with their son's condition, which hasn't caused major health issues requiring surgery.

"Some of the common things with Down syndrome are heart defects," Robinson said. "About 50 percent of babies born with Down syndrome have some kind of heart defect. Some of those require surgery immediately at birth, and some don't. Our son, we have not had surgery yet. We know it's coming eventually, just not yet."

Buddy Walk for Down syndrome

Just a few days ahead of the golf tournament, the Montgomery Area Down Syndrome Group has planned its annual Buddy Walk for Oct. 1 , 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the John Mark Stallings Football Field, 5345 Atlanta Highway, Montgomery.

"Faulkner University is so kind and generous," Robinson said.

Through the Buddy Walk, the group has been able to raise funds to donate books to libraries, schools and teachers in Montgomery, Autauga and Elmore counties. They've also distributed gift baskets to new parents of babies with Down syndrome in all Montgomery hospitals, provided educational speakers, and hosted play dates, group outings and more.

New music ahead from DuBois

Following up on last year's release of "The Light," there's new music ahead from DuBois. She's recording a new project with Teddy Gentry of the group Alabama, and also working on a project called "Old Cloverdale" with her Montgomery-based band Bama Sound. No release dates yet, but DuBois said to expect music videos with them soon as well.

Besides that, DuBois said she's still doing live shows. She's got some private events ahead, but you can catch her public shows this month at:

• Sept. 10, 2 p.m. at Auburn College of Business Tailgate with Bama Sound

• Sept. 16, 7 p.m. at The Market at John Hill Store in Cecil

• Sept. 23, 6 p.m. at Common Bond Brewers Show in Montgomery

• Sept. 29, 7 p.m. at Town & Country Revel, presented by Jackson Hospital Foundation in Montgomery

"I'll be doing a lot more work with Bama Sound this year in full band shows," DuBois said.

See her full tour schedule and learn more about her music online at camerondubois.com.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: DuBois is ready to 'Par-Tee Down' to help people with Down syndrome