Founders of annual 5k raise Down syndrome awareness, give funds to special needs programs
WLOS.com
by John Le
Friday Nobember 5th 2021
SPRUCE PINE, N.C. — In the heart of Spruce Pine each year, a tradition since 2014 shows the heart of the community.
The annual Run for Holland has helped raise awareness about Down syndrome.
“And bring people together who have been through similar situations. Let’s connect those families together, let’s support each other,” said event co-founder Brooke Burleson.
With proceeds from the run over the years, Brooke and her husband, Adam Burleson, have distributed $78,000 dollars in grants to the disabled community.
“We’ve done different clubs and organizations, but really the highest need that we’ve found is within our schools systems,” Adam said. “Our classrooms that teach students with disabilities — the EC classrooms.”
“We’ve given money for the primary school to update their playground equipment, to include equipment specialized for kids with special needs,” Brooke explained.
Their hunger to help is motivated by love for their 8-year-old daughter, Holland.
When Brooke was five months pregnant, the couple learned there was a 99% chance their baby would be born with Down syndrome.
The name, Holland, is inspired by a short story by Emily Perl Kingsley that forever shaped their parental perspective. That story compared having a child with a disability to a change in flight plans. Even though they weren’t going to Italy as planned, they were still going to a fulfilling family destination.
“If you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn’t get to Italy,” Kingsley wrote, "you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things, about Holland.”
That’s why the Burlesons named their child Holland, eventually sparking the yearly event.
“She’s just been a huge blessing to us. We didn’t know what to expect, and she brings joy to everybody,“ Adam said.
