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The most wonderful time of the year for most of our Best Buddies participants is not the snowy holiday season or even the warm freedom of summer vacations. For Best Buddies participants, the most wonderful time of the year is early fall at their chapter match parties.
Each fall, chapters around the nation celebrate the mission of Best Buddies by matching students with and without disabilities in a buddy pair friendship. Best Buddies chapter officers spend weeks carefully monitoring which participants “click” during meet-and-mingle parties that precede matching events. In October, once the officers and advisors have the best idea of who will develop solid friendships for the year, matches are introduced at exciting, fun parties. Some chapters celebrate these matches with pizza parties or pumpkin-carving events. At Cyril K.Brennan Middle School in Attleboro, Massachusetts, the match party turned into a community affair!
In late October, Brennan Middle School introduced their new matches at a “Friendship Ball.” The chapter’s program manager, Eri Frangiadakis shared that in addition to a ball, the event also served as a “potluck dinner, which parents, students, teachers and community leaders attended. Students dressed up in costumes and the danced the night away.” Members were dressed in their finest Halloween costumes to meet their new Best Buddy. And chapter members wanted to ensure the whole community knew about the amazing, life-changing friendships their chapter was creating. The entire event was filmed by the local TV news station and the chapter president and buddy director were interviewed on their roles in building such an outstanding chapter. Members of the State Senate and House of Representatives also attended the match party; while witnessing the incredible students getting to know each other, the Congressional members presented the chapter with Letters of Proclamation in recognition for their award as Best Buddies’ Outstanding Middle School Chapter of the Year. The mayor of Attleboro attended to announce that in addition to October 26 being the day of their match party, he was pronouncing it “Best Buddies Day” for the town of Attleboro.
This chapter has far exceeded sharing the success of their friendships beyond their own members; the entire community celebrates the mission of Best Buddies. But to members of the Brennan chapter, Best Buddies is far more than an after-school club or even a friendship program. The Chapter President, Emily Cord, feels that Best Buddies is a safe haven where people can rely on each other during the tumultuous years of middle school.
“We want a safe and healthy environment where people know that they will not be called names or made fun of for any reason,” Cord shared in a letter addressed to all new members. “We think of this club as a family who supports one another.”
This family of support will continue to grow; they have a year of chapter outings, one-to-one activities and community events to look forward to and more opportunities to spread the joys and profound meaning of friendship.
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