DAR donates washing machine to Buddy Center

RIDGELAND — The River of Pearls Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution made a recent donation to the Buddy Center here.

Donna Russell, Regent of the River of Pearls Chapter, called the washer and dryer “much needed” and said the donation was made to commemorate National Down Syndrome Day on March 21.

When working with the Buddy Center, she said the members of her chapter are “always blessed more than the children.”

The Buddy Center is the Central Mississippi Down Syndrome Society’s community center in Ridgeland. 

The facility opened in August 2022 and provides Down Syndrome children and their families with support and programming. Central Mississippi Down Syndrome Society relies on volunteers from the community, local schools, and organizations to help with programs, which include educational events, exercise and dance classes, arts and crafts, family socials, and enrichment opportunities, Russell said.

The River of Pearls Chapter teamed up with the Buddy Center in 2022 to organize a Junior American Citizen (JAC) club for special needs children, Russell said. 

“JAC clubs teach America’s school children the principles of good citizenship and appreciation of American heritage and history,” Russell said.

Each monthly meeting begins with the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America. 

Next month, the chapter will sponsor a field trip with some of the JAC members to the John C. Stennis Space Center as part of their ongoing study of the space program.

This year they submitted a poster on the Artemis II Space Program to the National DAR Awards in Washington, D.C. The Artemis II Space Program has been a focus of study for the club, Russell said. 

In 2023, the Buddy Center JAC Club won a national DAR award in Washington, D.C. for their study and poster of the Oregon Trail, which was entered in the Special Needs Category.