By David L. Podos
Allison Bishop is busy with her business as well as being a board member of The 21 Club.
The Utica native is a cheerful 31-year-old woman. Her laughter is infectious; her positive outlook on life is admirable.
Bishop owns her own business, Allies Celfie Central.
Her business is quite unique using an open-air digital booth. She is able to produce and print photos incredibly fast. She can also provide a host of other services such as having her customers post directly to their timeline on Facebook with any caption they want, to customized branding of logos and much more.
You can see Allies Celfie Central at many weddings, graduations and other special events.
Several years ago, I saw her at a friend’s wedding doing her “work.” Five years ago, I had the pleasure to meet and write my first article about Bishop — who was born with Down syndrome.
When I asked her if she was still busy “taking pictures” she said she was.
“I still take pictures and am busy with Allies Celfie Central. But I am also involved in other projects. I am now a board member of The 21 Club,” she added.
The 21 Club is a nonprofit organization formed by parents and families who love someone with Down syndrome. The 21 Club wants to raise awareness in communities so people with the condition will be accepted and appreciated. As a group, they support families and people with Down syndrome. Their goal is to share information with families so they can make choices about therapies, programs, schooling, job opportunities and other services that may help their loved ones.
“The 21 club is all about people who have the same disability that I have, it was really good for me to become a member. I feel very supportive, also, it is very gratifying for me to know I am helping out others who have Down syndrome. As a board member I am responsible along with other board members to set polices and procedures that will help others and that is a great responsibility that I am happy to take on,” Bishop said.
A few years ago, she along with her mother, Karen, started a cooking class for The 21 Club. They work on recipes, then they make recipe cards. These cards are then given to the members of the club. She and her mother both say that the recipe cards are a big hit and continue to be received with great enthusiasm from the members.
If that was not enough Bishop is also involved in volunteering.
“I volunteer at Hughes Elementary School where I read to the kids. I love it and so do the kids,” she said.
Bishop was honored with a Woman of Distinction Award for being a caring advocate and visionary for students of special needs from Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon this past year.
Her “disability” has never slowed her down, nor does she look for any kind of pity or special favors from anyone. When asked what kind of challenges she faces she simply said, “No challenges, just happiness.”
Bishop adheres to a simple philosophy of just being who you are each and every day and doing the best you can.
While she continues to be an ambassador to those who have Down syndrome, she also continues to inspire all she meets, as her mother often says, “everyone wants to be Allie.”
1 in 775
Down syndrome is the most common chromosomal condition for newborns in the country. It occurs when an individual has a full or partial extra copy of chromosome 21, according to the National Down Syndrome Society.
This additional genetic material alters the course of development and causes the characteristics associated with Down syndrome, such as, shorter than average height, possible poor muscle tone and loose joints and intellectual disability often in the mild to moderate area.
Approximately one in every 775 babies in the United States is born with Down syndrome. About 5,000 babies are born in the United States each year with the condition and it can occur in people of all races and economic levels.
For more information on Down syndrome call the National Down Syndrome Society at 800-221-4602, ndss.org
To contact The 21 Club of CNY: the21club.org/contact