MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Manasota Buds is holding its 21st Annual "Buddy Walk" on Saturday. Buds stands for Bringing Up Down Syndrome, and it offers a variety of programs to families, including scholarships, play sessions, teen and adult events.

Buds serves more than 250 local families, and the Buddy Walk is the organization's main fundraiser.

In honor of National Disability Month, Spectrum News spoke with a family who attends this special day every year.

Four times a week, Kelley Rouse takes a spin on the dance floor. The 24-year-old has been dancing for seven years, and she loves fast-paced songs like the cha-cha routine.

Rouse has made a lot of friends along the way, including her dance partner. She also gets one-on-one training.

Her mom, Debra, said dance classes have given her daughter more purpose.

"The joy, the joy. I mean, you can tell that she just loves dancing. It makes her so happy, and it makes me happy," she said.

Fitness has been part of her lifestyle since she was young. Kelley battled cancer twice, and events like the Manasota Buds Walk remind her of how strong she is. Family members from the East Coast even travel down to Florida to join her.

The Manasota Buds program supports hundreds of families with Down syndrome, not just in Manatee and Sarasota counties but also throughout the Tampa Bay area.

Kelley's moves don't end on the dance floor. She also gets creative with making her favorite coffee.

"Iced mocha, it’s yummy," she said.

She's a barista at Rise Up Cafe, a job she started after attending Suncoast Technical College, where she learned basic life skills.

She is thriving thanks to the support of her friends and family and the community, enjoying the "aroma" of life.

The Buddy Walk is from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Bayside Community Church in Lakewood Ranch on State Road 64. All proceeds go directly to Manasota Buds.