Manasota BUDS

Cool BUDS (18+) Laser Light Show: Pop Rox
2025-06-28 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Bishop Planetarium, 201 10th St W, Bradenton, Florida, 34205, United States
Saturday, June 28th Cool BUDS is going to blast off with a laser light show at the Bishop Planetarium! This is made possible by a generous grant from Neal Communities.

Manasota BUDS at Siesta Beach!
2025-07-20 10:00 - 14:00 | Siesta Beach, 498 Beach Road, Sarasota, Florida, 34242, United States
Celebrate Summer with the whole Manasota BUDS family at the Sunset Pavilion at Siesta Beach on Sunday, July 20th from 10 am to 2 pm! You can find us at the Sunset Pavilion right by the Playground on the East side of the beach.

Bring a lunch and beverages and come join the party!

This event is open to all Manasota BUDS!

Family Meeting: Navigating the World of ESE and IEPs - Changes and Best Practices
2025-07-31 18:00 - 20:00 | The Haven, 4405 Desoto Rd, Sarasota, Florida, 34235, United States
Whether you’re new to navigating Exceptional Student Education (ESE) and Individual Education Plans (IEPs) or have years of experience, this session will provide valuable information for every stage of the journey. Manasota BUDS Board Member, Brooke Olivieri, will explain what ESE and ISPs are, share recent changes, and offer practical tips to help parents successfully advocate for their children with Down syndrome.

The meeting will take place at the Frank Stern Employment Center at The Haven and is a wonderful opportunity to learn, ask questions, and connect with other families in the Manasota BUDS community. Pizza will be provided for all attendees, and respite care will be available for children.

UPDATE:

We’re welcome Jillian Wilikins from Step Into Swim! Jillian will share important water safety tips for home, information on finding discounted swimming lessons, and how Manasota BUDS is working to connect families with Swim Angelfish-certified instructors, who specialize in teaching children with special needs. She’ll also provide guidance on finding providers through the Florida Swimming Pool Association

Please let us know if you can make it.

Buddy Up Fitness Registration Opens
2025-08-21 09:00 - 2025-10-28 17:00 | Sarasota City YMCA, 1075 S. Euclid Ave, Sarasota, Florida, 34237
Registration for the Fall 2025 Session for Buddy Up Fitness opens Thursday, August 21, 2025 at 9AM.

There are nine (9) slots available on a first-come-first-serve basis. The dates for the session are September 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30; October 7, 14, 21, 28.

Space is limited and registration is required. To start the registration process, please email to sarasotatennis@buforlife.org

Athlete participant must be at least 15 years old. Sessions are held at the Sarasota City YMCA located at 1075 S. Euclid Ave. Manasota BUDS supplements some of the costs of Buddy Up Fitness. Parents are responsible for a one-time cost of $30 for the multi-month program.

Buddy Up Fitness - 09/02/25
2025-09-02 18:00 - 19:15 | Sarasota City YMCA, 1075 S. Euclid Ave, Sarasota, Florida, 34237
Registration for the Fall 2025 Session for Buddy Up Fitness opened 08/21/25.

There are nine (9) slots available for Buddy Up Fitness, allocated on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Space is limited and registration is required. To start the registration process, please email sarasotatennis@buforlife.org

Athlete participant must be at least 15 years old. Sessions are held at the Sarasota City YMCA located at 1075 S. Euclid Ave. Manasota BUDS supplements some of the costs of Buddy Up Fitness. Parents are responsible for a one-time cost of $30 for the multi-month program.

Buddy Up Fitness - 09/09/25
2025-09-09 18:00 - 19:15 | Sarasota City YMCA, 1075 S. Euclid Ave, Sarasota, Florida, 34237

Buddy Up Fitness - 09/16/25
2025-09-16 18:00 - 19:15 | Sarasota City YMCA, 1075 S. Euclid Ave, Sarasota, Florida, 34237

09/20/25 - Cool BUDS x Adventure for All
2025-09-20 12:00 - 15:00 | Neal Preserve, 12301 Manatee Ave. W, Bradenton, Florida, 34209, United States
At 12 PM we will meet at Neal Preserve for a fun and educational nature outing. It will include a short nature lesson and a scavenger hunt through the preserve.

We’ll wrap up with a creative nature scrapbooking activity using items we find along the way.

Immediately following the nature walk (approximately 1:45 PM) join us for lunch afterward at Floridays . BUDS will provide a lunch meal and soft drink for all adults with Down syndrome.

You are welcome to join us for the nature walk at Neal and/or the lunch at Floridays. Please RSVP if you plan to join for the lunch portion so that we can reserve seats at the restaurant. Space at the restaurant is limited to 30 people. That’s 1 Cool BUD + 1 Parent/Guardian.

This has been made possible by a generous grant from Neal Communities.

To reiterate, if you are only doing the walk, you do not need to RSVP. If you are doing the walk AND the lunch, please RSVP for 1 Cool BUD and 1 Parent/Guardian.

Buddy Up Tennis - 09/27/25
2025-09-27 12:30 - 14:00 | The Meadows Country Club Tennis Courts, 3101 Longmeadow, Sarasota, FL 34235
Buddy Up Tennis is a 90-minute tennis and fitness program specifically created for individuals with Down syndrome. Buddy volunteers are partnered with Athletes to provide support, reinforce instruction, and develop friendships.

There are nine (9) slots available on a first-come-first-serve basis. No tennis experience is required. Team t-shirt provided. Space is limited and registration is required. To start the registration process, please email: sarasotatennis@buforlife.org.

Manasota BUDS supplements some of the costs of Buddy Up Tennis for its athletes. Parents are responsible for a one-time cost of $40 for the multi-month program.

09/27/25 Cool BUDS - Bowling for the Stars!
2025-09-27 19:00 - 21:00 | Bowlero Bradenton, 4208 Cortez Road West, Bradenton, Florida, 34210, United States
Come join the fun at Bowlero with a bowling benefit for Night with the Stars Prom, Inc, a free prom for people with different abilities. Enjoy the bowling as well as free food and unlimited soft drinks. There will also be raffles, a 50/50, and a silent auction.

The cost of admission is covered by a generous grant from Neal Communities.

Buddy Up Fitness - 09/30/25
2025-09-30 18:00 - 19:15 | Sarasota City YMCA, 1075 S. Euclid Ave, Sarasota, Florida, 34237

Buddy Up Tennis - 10/04/25
2025-10-04 12:30 - 14:00 | The Meadows Country Club, 3101 Longmeadow, Sarasota, Florida, 34235, United States

Buddy Up Fitness - 10/07/25
2025-10-07 18:00 - 19:15 | Sarasota City YMCA, 1075 S. Euclid Ave, Sarasota, Florida, 34237

Buddy Up Tennis - 10/11/25
2025-10-11 12:30 - 14:00 | The Meadows Country Club, 3101 Longmeadow, Sarasota, Florida, 34235, United States

Buddy Up Fitness - 10/14/25
2025-10-14 18:00 - 19:15 | Sarasota City YMCA, 1075 S. Euclid Ave, Sarasota, Florida, 34237

Buddy Up Tennis - 10/18/25
2025-10-18 12:30 - 14:00 | The Meadows Country Club, 3101 Longmeadow, Sarasota, Florida, 34235, United States

Buddy Up Fitness - 10/21/25
2025-10-21 18:00 - 19:15 | Sarasota City YMCA, 1075 S. Euclid Ave, Sarasota, Florida, 34237

2025 Buddy Walk
2025-10-25 09:00 - 13:00 | Bayside Community Church, 15800 FL-64, Bradenton, Florida, 34212
Mark your calendars for Manasota BUDS’ 23rd annual Buddy Walk! The event is scheduled at the same venue we’ve used the past 2 years: Bayside Community Church in Lakewood Ranch.

To register for the walk, please visit: https://charity.pledgeit.org/Buddy-Walk. Participants are encouraged to register ASAP to ensure that they get a shirt. Our deadline to place the T-Shirt order is 2-weeks before the event. Sponsors are welcome! View our sponsor packet HERE.

Registration opens at 9:00AM. We will have a dunk tank, video truck, DJ Motown Ross Brown, games, refreshments, a King and Queen award, Top Team Awards, and more! Registration is FREE for individuals with Down syndrome and includes a free t-shirt. All other participants have a $25 registration fee and includes a T-Shirt. Registration is tax deductible and 100% of proceeds go back to supporting the Down syndrome community.

Thank you for supporting Manasota BUDS and our audience!

Buddy Up Fitness - 10/28/25
2025-10-28 18:00 - 19:15 | Sarasota City YMCA, 1075 S. Euclid Ave, Sarasota, Florida, 34237

Buddy Up Tennis - 11/01/25
2025-11-01 12:30 - 14:00 | The Meadows Country Club, 3101 Longmeadow, Sarasota, Florida, 34235, United States

Friendsgiving Dance Party
2025-11-01 18:00 - 20:00 | Knights of Columbus Hall, 4880 Fruitville Rd, Sarasota, FL 34232
This event is designed for teens and adults with Down syndrome, but all ages are welcome.

The event will be held at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Sarasota, with light dinner and dancing. This event is made possible by the generosity of Neal Communities.

Buddy Up FITNESS - 11.04.25
2025-11-04 18:00 - 19:30 | Sarasota City YMCA, 1075 S. Euclid Ave, Sarasota, Florida, 34237
Buddy-Up Fitness is a a program that is capped at ten (10) registrations on a first-come-first serve basis. The sessions are on Tuesdays from November 4th to January 20th. To start the registration process, please email sarasotatennis@buforlife.org. Athlete participant must be at least 15 years old. There is a participation fee of $30 for the entirety of the season. Manasota BUDS covers the rest of the fees. Sessions take place at the Sarasota City YMCA.

Buddy Up Tennis - 11/08/25
2025-11-08 12:30 - 14:00 | The Meadows Country Club, 3101 Longmeadow, Sarasota, Florida, 34235, United States

Buddy Up FITNESS - 11.11.25
2025-11-11 18:00 - 19:30 | Sarasota City YMCA, 1075 S. Euclid Ave, Sarasota, Florida, 34237

Buddy Up Tennis - 11/15/25
2025-11-15 12:30 - 14:00 | The Meadows Country Club, 3101 Longmeadow, Sarasota, Florida, 34235, United States

Buddy Up FITNESS - 11.18.25
2025-11-18 18:00 - 19:30 | Sarasota City YMCA, 1075 S. Euclid Ave, Sarasota, Florida, 34237

Buddy Up Tennis - 11/22/25
2025-11-22 12:30 - 14:00 | The Meadows Country Club, 3101 Longmeadow, Sarasota, Florida, 34235, United States

Buddy Up FITNESS - 11.25.25
2025-11-25 08:00 - 17:00 | Sarasota City YMCA, 1075 S. Euclid Ave, Sarasota, Florida, 34237

Buddy Up FITNESS - 12.02.25
2025-12-02 18:00 - 19:30 | Sarasota City YMCA, 1075 S. Euclid Ave, Sarasota, Florida, 34237

Buddy Up Tennis - 12/06/25
2025-12-06 12:30 - 14:00 | The Meadows Country Club, 3101 Longmeadow, Sarasota, Florida, 34235, United States
