| Best Buddies Forever By: Alison Moore Have you ever thought that just hanging out with a friend could also be community service? Well, if you volunteer with Best Buddies, you can do both, at the same time. Best Buddies is a non-profit organization, which seeks to establish a volunteer movement that creates opportunities for friendship, employment, and leadership for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Started modestly in 1989 by Anthony Kennedy Shriver, son of Eunice Kennedy Shriver (sister to President John F. Kennedy and founder of the Special Olympics), the organization has swelled to thousands of chapters which exist all over the country and the world. Someone who knows a lot about Best Buddies is Shana Conroy, a student at Trinity College in Hartford, CT, and this year’s Buddy Director for her college chapter. Shana has been involved with Best Buddies for four years, and has also served as Activities Coordinator. When asked why she enjoys participating with the organization, this is was her response. “It allows you to have fun with your friends, meet new people, and help the community. People with intellectual disabilities are unrecognized people in our community who have the ability to do amazing things. I wish that more people would realize this. Most of our buddies make us smile and always make us laugh. It is always exciting to get together as a group and have fun with our buddies at the group events and we really like bringing them on campus to hang out with us.” Shana mentioned that she and her buddy Albert often do something as simple as going out to dinner together. She says that the most constantly rewarding part of Best Buddies is seeing the pairs of Buddies that bond over common interests like sports or movies, and that truly enjoy just hanging out together. There are several different ways to volunteer with Best Buddies, and it is an activity that you can continue to participate in for years to come, regardless of changing personal circumstances. Chapters exist at middle schools, high schools, and colleges in all 50 states, and if there isn’t one near you, Shana recommends visiting bestbuddies.org and contacting either the High School Program Director or College Program Director in your area about starting a chapter in your school. Furthermore, throughout the year, there are various special events held to raise funds for the organization. For example, on June 5, Hyannis Port, MA will host the Best Buddies Challenge, which includes cycling and walking races of various lengths. Even if there is no way that you can physically get to an event, or if there are no chapters near where you live, fear not—you can still participate. Best Buddies International also oversees e-Buddies, which is an email pen- pal program. Anyone with an email address who is over 10 years old can participate, and all that is required is to exchange at least one email a week for at least a year. The organization matches one person with a developmental disability, with a peer who does not have a developmental disability. The organizers make sure that the pen-pals share enough common interests to start a friendship, but also are different enough to learn about new things from each other. If you are interested in becoming a Best Buddies volunteer, a great way to start is by visiting www.bestbuddies.org. From there, it is easy to see all the programs available in your state, and find any contact information you may need. Taking these simple steps may lead you to a life-changing friendship, and could teach you a lot about yourself. Even if you try Best Buddies and decide it’s not for you, community service or volunteering for a worthy cause is something you should consider. As Shana says, “Giving back to a community is one of the most rewarding things you can do and you can have fun doing it. I have met so many people through doing community service clubs at my school. Then, once you are involved in community service, you will have so many memories which will make you smile in years to come.” |
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