Maddie Scanlan and Megan Lamont

Com 360

Capie

4 May 2017

Best Buddies Mission for Inclusion 

Recognizing the volunteer potential of college students, entrepreneur Anthony K. Shriver inspired and urged his university peers to collaborate and build friendships among people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Shriver went on to become the Founder and Chairman of Best Buddies International in 1998, a program that fosters one-to-one friendships between people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). 

Timeline of Best Buddies History

Today, Best Buddies has grown into a successful nonprofit entity with programs in each of the 50 United States, 50 countries, and six continents. Over 900,000 individuals with and without disabilities have been impacted by the Best Buddies movement. The non-profit is built upon three pillars: one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development.

To learn more about the Best Buddies organization, click here.

Best Buddies Organizations Around the World — Highlighted in Blue

Bradley Buddy, Tim Jackson, spoke enthusiastically about his recent promotion as Best Buddies Ambassador for the Bradley Chapter. “I know I will do a good job as Best Buddies Ambassador for Bradley because I can do a great job whenever I put my mind to do something.”  The chosen Ambassador is the main source of communication for all of the Buddies enrolled in the chapter’s program and is a huge honor for all Buddies who are chosen.

Tim was one of the many Bradley Buddies who attended the largest and most popular fundraiser of the year, the Best Buddies Friendship Walk. The walk occurred at Normal Community West High School in Normal, Illinois on April 8, 2017. Participants from over ten high schools and colleges raised over $70,000 for the Central Illinois walk.

You can access the Best Buddies Friendship Walk page for Central Illinois here.

The day consisted of a pep rally, breakfast and lunch food items, the walk itself, games, activities, raffles and more. The schools who participated each have a Friendship Walk Coordinator, a member of the executive board, who creates and runs several fundraisers for their chapter throughout the academic year. Bradley’s Friendship Walk Coordinator, Maddie Scanlan, spoke about her events throughout the year. “I arranged a Peoria Mustangs Hockey Night, Chipotle fundraiser, and had a Best Buddies friendship bracelet selling table at the Student Center on Bradley’s campus in the efforts to raise money and encourage our members to get involved in our organization.”

These efforts paid off, resulting in a Bradley record-high of $3,000 raised for the walk. Bradley’s Chapter President, Becky Sidlowski, commented, “I am so proud of this chapter and all we have been able to accomplish. I feel as though our members’ bond with the buddies is stronger than ever, and I can’t wait to see how the program continues to grow.”

Top 5 Fundraising Teams for Central Illinois

The Bradley Chapter of Best Buddies has 70 active members. They host events such as mini-golfing, Tanners Apple Orchard trips, barbecues, sports games, and paint parties. There’s something for everyone at Best Buddies, and there’s room for people to grow. Social Media Coordinator, Megan McLain, said, “I feel as though I’ve grown through the program of Best Buddies during my two years here. I started out not going to many meetings, but then I decided to commit myself to the club and apply for the executive board and I got the position I wanted! I love going to meetings to see my friends and grow our friendship.”

Here is the Bradley chapter’s Facebook

Here is the Bradley chapter’s Instagram

The impact of Best Buddies has left an incredible mark on over 900,000 participants and continues to grow each day. Understanding and accepting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities took off around the time the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed by President George H.W. Bush in 1990. President Bush made a remarkable speech proceeding the signing of the document, “and now I sign legislation which takes a sledgehammer to another wall, one which has for too many generations separated Americans with disabilities from the freedom they could glimpse, but not grasp. Once again, we rejoice as this barrier falls for claiming together we will not accept, we will not excuse, we will not tolerate discrimination in America” (US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission).

You can read George H.W. Bush’s full speech here.

Best Buddies is near and dear to many, and there’s nothing but hope for this organization as it continues to flourish in the future.

Sources:

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (2017). Remarks of President George Bush at the Signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/history/35th/videos/ada_signing_text.html

Best Buddies Website. (2017). www.bestbuddies.org