Congratulations to the North Carolina 2020 Champion of the Year, Samantha Terres and her campaign manager Weslyn Hyman!! Team Samantha and Weslyn raised nearly $22,000 for Best Buddies during the six-week campaign. Their fundraising tactics ranged from TikTok dances and vacation stays for the silent auction to good old fashioned emails to friends. Samantha is a North Carolina licensed attorney, who has been practicing law for 25 years in the Mecklenburg County area. She and Weslyn met last year during the Champion of the Year Gala and were excited to team up in 2020. The two share a love of fun and all things fashion! Both are passionate advocates for inclusion in North Carolina and are excited their hard work will help Best Buddies continue moving the mission forward!

The Champion of the Year fundraising competition featured six philanthropic professionals and emerging leaders competing for the crown! The competition culminated with the virtual Champion of the Year Gala on October 9, 2020 emceed by Matt Harris of 107.9 The Link, watch it here on Facebook. If you are interested in learning more about how you can participate in the 2021 Champion of the Year competition, please email tammymedlock@bestbuddies.org.