Thankful for Friendship

As Thanksgiving approaches, you may have noticed the abundance of '30 Days of Thankfulness' posts popping up on your Facebook and Twitter feeds. As we think about what we are thankful for, we want to take a minute to reflect on friendship. Often times, friendship is something we take for granted, but something most of us can't imagine living without. Muhammad Ali once said: 

"Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain. It's not something you learn in school. But if you haven't learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven't learned anything."

This month, we'd like to introduce you to Hannah and Rebecca. These two are a part of the Columbus East Best Buddies chapter and have been matched for two years.

As you read about this month's featured friendship, we hope you reflect on the friends in your life who help you be the best person you can be (and maybe send them a message to tell them thanks!)

What does Best Buddies mean to you?

Hannah: Best Buddies means friendship, inclusion beyond belief, and good times.

Rebecca: Best Buddies is where I can have fun and make people proud.

What's your favorite thing about your buddy?

Hannah: My favorite thing about Rebecca is that she is so nice and always willing to help me with whatever I need.

Rebecca: My favorite part about Hannah is that she's my best friend. She's nice to me and makes me happy.

What do you and your buddy like to do together?

Hannah: Rebecca and I like to do anything and everything together! I'd definitely say her favorite thing is going out to eat. My favorite memory is winter formal and then our sleepover!

Rebecca: I like having lunch or dinner together.

How has Best Buddies changed your life?

Hannah: Best Buddies has taught me that we all have disabilities, but it's the abilities that should be celebrated.

Rebecca: Hannah has taught me to be the best person I can be and how to be happy.

Why do you think others should join Best Buddies?

Hannah: I think other people should join Best Buddies to meet new people, have a great time, and make friendship that will last a lifetime!

Rebecca: Join Best Buddies to meet new people!

Friendship, Acceptance, and Learning from Each Other

At the end of the last school year, we asked our chapter leaders to nominate some of the outstanding friendships from their chapter for our annual Buddy Pair of the Year award. Inspired by one of the nominations, we wanted to feature one of these friendships in this month's Focus on Friendship Blog. 

Marcella Seibert and Talina Velazquez both attend Westfield High School and have been matched for two years in the Best Buddies program. 

Below is part of the nomination we received praising this incredible friendship:

"Their friendship is inspiring.  They both have opened their hearts, encouraged laughter, and have demonstrated that friendship is one of life’s most precious gifts.  Their friendship is an incredible example for the world to see. Westfield High School and Best Buddies are blessed to have such an incredible example representing their organizations."

Here's a little bit from Talina and Marcella about their friendship:

What does Best Buddies mean to you?

Talina: It's great to hang out with friends on weekends, and Best Buddies makes me get to know a lot of people at my school.

Marcella: Best Buddies means so much to me.  I get to hang out with people who don't focus on image or exteriors, but who focus on what's on the inside. It is true friendship, which is what everyone needs at our age.

What is your favorite thing about your buddy?

Talina: My favorite thing about Marcella is that we hang out a lot.

Marcella: T always is ready to have fun.  She is rarely in a sour mood.  She has an amazing sense of humor and loves to goof around.

What do you and your buddy like to do together?
    
Talina & Marcella: We get our nails done, have girls' spa nights, movie nights, football games and go out to eat!

How has Best Buddies changed your life?

Talina: I have more friends because of Best Buddies.  I feel included.

Marcella: I know that because of Best Buddies I can make a difference.  I know that I will always have a true friend who will be there no matter what. It has taught me the meaning of true friendship.


Why do you think others should join Best Buddies?

Talina: It's very fun. It is a good experience for both the buddy and the peer buddy.

Marcella: It's a club where you get together to hang out with your friends. Who wouldn't want to join an organization like that?

To quote the nomination letter once more, "This pair represents what Best Buddies is all about: friendship, acceptance, and learning from each other."

We couldn't have said it better.

Hope of Friendship

As the 2013-2014 school year kicks off we want to share a testimonial from an incredible buddy pair from the Butler University chapter. 

Katie McGill has been involved with Best Buddies for many years, and has witnessed the formation of numerous strong, long-lasting friendships, including many of her own. She is currently the chapter president at Butler University. She and Austin Zeiner were matched earlier this year and have developed a wonderful friendship! 

"Best Buddies means friendship and hope to me. Every year, I meet so many wonderful and inspiring individuals with the same mission. Throughout the year, I'm lucky enough to watch individuals that I've paired up build their friendship and make each other happy. The compassion and dedication the members of my chapter have make me proud and hopeful that the mission will continue to grow. 

Austin is a caring, funny, and thoughtful friend. He and I paired earlier this year and we bonded immediately. At events, he helps me ensure everyone is enjoying the event and even plays pranks on me, which is always a good laugh. He helps and encourages me through stressful moments. He's a wonderful guy! 

Austin loves sports. He teaches me a lot about sports outside of Butler Basketball. We really enjoyed going to Buffalo Wild Wings to watch March Madness.

This is my sixth year in Best Buddies. I joined in high school and was paired up my senior year. I fell in love with the organization after I met my first buddy, Josh. I learned many things about him and myself during our pairing. Since graduating from high school and going to Butler, I've had two more buddies, Jackie and Austin. Similarly, they also taught me a lot and further deepen my passion for Best Buddies. I cannot imagine my life without this organization and hope to continue my involvement after graduation."

Katie summed up her Best Buddies experience by encouraging others to join, saying: 

"Best Buddies is an amazing organization that helps develop long-lasting friendships. Not only does it make a difference in someone else's life, but chances are, it will make a bigger one in yours."

Focus on Leadership: Helena Spychala

Best Buddies Indiana (BBIN) welcomed 112 middle school, high school, college, and Ambassadors participants to this year's Best Buddies International Leadership Conference (BBLC). One of these students attended the conference as BBIN's first ever middle school Ambassador.

Helena Spychala, a recent eighth-grade graduate of Westlane Middle School and former Buddy Director of the Westlane Best Buddies chapter, was able to experience conference for the first time this July.

During the weekend, she was able to attend Ambassadors classes, meet other middle school student leaders from across the world, and give her speech at the BBIN state meeting on the last day.

Helena and her roommate Aliya Carroll, a fellow Westlane student, roomed together at the conference.

Helena and the group from Westlane Middle School.

"She enjoyed being a college girl for a couple of days," said Karin Spychala, Helena's mom.

Aliya and Helena had a great time meeting other middle school students and learning all about Best Buddies.

"My time with Helena in the dorm was awesome! We had some friends that we made right next to us and we talked and played games on my iPad," said Aliya.

Helena said "meeting new people" was her favorite part of conference.

On the last day of conference, Helena presented her speech to her fellow BBIN participants with her advisor, Melinda Zore, and Aliya by her side.

"I really enjoyed standing up there with Helena while doing her speech," said Aliya.

Zore said that Helena's speech was one of the best parts of her conference experience.

Helena and Zore at the BBLC Opening Ceremonies

"Helena has become more confident in herself," said Zore. "She has a friendly and outgoing personality which helps her interact with others.  Her speech was one of the highlights of the conference. Having been her teacher for three years, I have had the opportunity to watch her grow and become a beautiful young lady."

Helena is already looking forward to her freshman year at North Central High School and next year's Leadership Conference.

"Helena had a fabulous time at BBLC! She was already talking about next year on the way home, before she fell asleep," said Karin Spychala.

Mitch and Nick:Greenfield-Central High School

Mitch Gibson (left) and Nick Gill (right) are a buddy pair from Greenfield-Central High School.

The Greenfield-Central High School Best Buddies chapter opened in the Fall of 2012. During the chapter's inaugural year, students Mitch Gibson and Nick Gill were matched together in a one-to-one friendship. Even though they have only been matched for a year, Mitch and Nick have developed a strong, natural, and lasting friendship. 

See Nick's perspective on their friendship below:

What does Best Buddies mean to you?

Best Buddies is a lot of fun, and I do fun things with my friends there. We stand up for people and have fun!
  
What's your favorite thing about your buddy?

I love Mitch! He is tons of fun!

What do you and your buddy like to do together?

Mitch and I do all kinds of things together. We love to go out to eat, see movies, play games, and laugh a lot. We also spend our birthdays together, and I cheer for him when he plays baseball. I loved spending the night at his house. We had so much fun!

 
How has Best Buddies changed your life?

I have always had lots of friends, but Best Buddies has given me some very close friendships, and it gives me a club to help lead. I feel important and special when I'm leading them and being with my Best Buddies. 

Why do you think others should join Best Buddies?

I think others should join because it is fun and it makes people feel special!

Lifelong Friendships: Andrea & Justin

Andrea and Justin at a Best Buddies basketball event.

As May comes to a close, students are graduating and moving on from our Best Buddies chapters. As a tribute to our seniors, we would like to highlight one of our outstanding senior buddy pairs from Munster High School. Justin Rios and Andrea Paunicka have only been matched for one year, but have formed an incredible and lasting friendship.

What does Best Buddies mean to you? 

Andrea: Best Buddies is not just a school club, it is much more than that.  It is a place to make new lifelong friendships.  I never thought a club would become so important to me. I have made so many new memories and friends.  I enjoy every minute of the club.  Everyone coming together makes me so happy.

Justin: Best Buddies helped me make friends, and talk to many people in the club.  The events give me a chance to talk to all of my friends.  The events help me meet people from other schools. 

What's your favorite thing about your buddy? 

Andrea: My favorite thing about my Best Buddy is he can always make me smile, no matter what.  No matter how upset I am or what mood I am in, I know he can always cheer me up and make me laugh.  His personality is the best personality a person can have, and he is so friendly to everyone too.  I love how social he is and it's so hard to pick my favorite thing.  I love everything about him.

Justin: My favorite thing about my Best Buddy is that she is very funny, makes me laugh and giggle.  I like to dance with her.  She is very nice and I love talking to her on the phone and in the hallway.  

What do you and your buddy like to do together? 

Andrea: Justin and I go to the movies, we love going bowling, even though he always beats me!  We love going to McDonald's and watching movies. We love playing Wii also!  We also make cupcakes, but they haven't ever turned out.  We also love mini-golfing, even though he always beats me in that too.

Justin: We go bowling, and watch a lot of movies. Our favorite movie is Big Daddy.  We love going to McDonalds, it's our favorite restaurant. 

How has Best Buddies changed your life? 

Andrea: Best Buddies has changed my life in several ways. I never thought a club could change my outlook on life.  Everyone in the club is amazing and so much fun. Because of Best Buddies, I have realized how incredible everyone is and I have decided to become a Special Education teacher.  I never thought I would major in Special Education, but because of my experiences in Best Buddies and how much it has impacted me, I will major in it. 

Justin: Best Buddies has changed my life, because I have made a lot of friends.  It is very fun, and I talk to people and I have become even more social.  I feel more part of the school. 

Why do you think others should join Best Buddies? 

Andrea: I think others should join Best Buddies, because it is the best choice I have made.  You get to experience something incredible and meet incredible people.  It could change their life, just like it has changed mine. 

Justin: I think others should join Best Buddies because I love Best Buddies. It is fun and can make new friends.

The Purest State of Friendship

As the 2012-2013 college year comes to a close, we would like to share a testimonial from an incredible buddy pair from Wabash College. Jordan and Steven were matched last year and have developed a strong, mutually enriching friendship!

Steven and Jordan carving pumpkins in 2011

"I have really enjoyed my time with Steven and we have a friendship that is based on spending time together. We wanted to do more than just spend time together once a month. We have enjoyed playing racquetball, billiards, bowling, video games and watching Star Trek (which is great, because I had missed out on Spock until I met Steven). Some of my favorites times with Steven were when we cooked a meal, wrote a letter to the mayor and went geocaching and I went to his state basketball game last year. 

If I had to choose one thing that I have learned from Best Buddies and my friendship with Steven, it would be the special opportunity to experience friendship in one of the purest states. When you go out with your buddy, its cool to be able to invite your other friends to tag along and supplement the experience!

One of the best memories is when I went to one of Steven's Special Olympics games at Wabash. I specifically remember halftime when Steven addressed the whole team and insisted that everyone get a chance to make a basket. And if I'm not mistaken, everyone made a basket by the end of the game. It was just really cool to see a selfless spirit come from Steven."

A True Feeling of Friendship

Best Buddies Indiana opened nine new middle school chapters this school year, including a chapter at Clark-Pleasant MS. At such an important, and often difficult time in a student's life, Best Buddies teaches respect and offers opportunity for friendship. Madi and Olivia are one of the many wonderful buddy pairs that have thrived in the middle school program. Madi talks about her friendship with Olivia!  

"Best Buddies means everything to me, it means true friendship. It means that I am where I want to be with friends I love. I love my buddy's smile. I love when she is happy. One of my favorite things about my buddy is that she loves everyone. If someone looks at her funny, she just say hi like that person is her best friends. We like to go to lunch together, it's her favorite thing to do. We also have art together so the art teacher pairs us up and we love to make projects. We also like to go to school events, like girls basketball games. We also talk during homeroom and on the phone. Best Buddies has changed my life in many ways. It gives me a true feeling of friendship, which I love and wouldn't give it up for the world. It has changed me as a person, a better person. I think others should join Best Buddies. I would tell people to join for the one-to-one friendship. For the fun, for the kids. It is by far the best thing that's happened to me all year and I want other kids to experience it, too!"