PAXTON, Ill. (WCIA) — On the heels of Down Syndrome Awareness Month, one group in Central Illinois celebrated people with differing abilities, while educating the community.

Paxton Area’s Down Syndrome Awareness group organized the event, and invited the community to walk on a quarter-mile track for a purpose. Event attendees also enjoyed a free meal, games, and prizes.

A group of parents in the area started the event a few years ago to help inform the community about Down Syndrome. Organizers said that their motto is “Inclusion Matters,” not just on Sunday, but every day.

“We’re looking for folks that maybe don’t understand what Down Syndrome is or how it affects an individual, how they are more alike each one of us than they are different,” Darla Schall, a co-organizer of the event, said.

She added that they were also raising money to provide resources for the school, aimed at helping kids learn more about differing abilities like Down Syndrome.