A Beautiful Sisterhood - July 2011

Shannon Egold and Amanda Taylor, Buddy Pair from Franklin College, have been matched for several years and are truly a connected sisterhood.  They have built a deep and meaningful relationship based on trust and sharing.  They attend church together, spend time with other Buddy Pairs, and make a point to see each other on both their good and bad days. They are both recently engaged and share their friendship with their fiancés as well.

Shannon spoke about her friendship with Amanda:

 “Amanda and I usually attend church together every Sunday. We both love that that time is understood to be just ours. We worship together and Amanda calls us sisters through God, which I absolutely adore. This has been an emotional month for Amanda because her grandma's health is declining at a rapid rate. She calls me almost every night trying to sort out her emotions. One day this past week I ran to the cafeteria between classes so I could see her because she had called me several times that morning. I had had an exceptionally rough day and when I found her cleaning tables we both just started to cry and stood in the middle of the lunch rush hugging each other. Those are the moments I live for. You know you have made a true friend when you can just look at one another and know exactly how the other person is feeling.” 

Shannon and Amanda enjoying a game of bowling...fun times!!

A True Committment of Friendship - June 2011

Jennifer Hagarbome and Jeff Zolezzi from the IUPUI chapter embody what the Best Buddies program is all about.  They have made a true commitment of friendship to each other and have impacted each other’s lives in ways that will shape both of their futures.  When Jennifer first met Jeff, she was fairly certain that she wanted to pursue a career in education. Within her first year of involvement with Best Buddies, she knew she wanted to be a Special Education teacher and remain in the Indianapolis area after graduation.

Jeff’s mother, Mary Beth Zolezzi, had this to say in a letter she submitted to Best Buddies Indiana:

"The Best Buddies IUPUI chapter has been a wonderful experience for my son Jeff during these past four years. Jeff is a moderately mentally handicapped young adult living in an apartment with another young man such as himself. They have staff that comes in on a daily basis, but none brighten his day as much as his Best Buddy Jennifer!

Jennifer call Jeff once a week and during the school year she tried to see him once a week. It is always more fun to hang around with a peer: to go get a hamburger, see a movie, play miniature golf, etc. Jennifer brings such happiness to my son and helps to make his quiet life much more interesting."

Jeff and Jenn were first matched in 2008

A Special Bond - May 2011

Bryce Needham and Jacob Wright, Buddy Pair from Delta High School, are an incredible example of the effect that a friendship through Best Buddies can have on your life.  They have been a great addition to the small, but passionate chapter in their school.

Kasey Needham, Chapter President at Delta HS, commented on the amazing experience she has had watching the friendship between Bryce and Jacob grow:

“Bryce is my brother, but in Best Buddies, I have seen a different side of him than normal. Bryce used to be quiet and shy, but now he has come out of his shell. Jake provides a challenge for him. Jake cannot talk very well due to a tumor that continues to grow and keeps him from being his true self. This does not hold Jake back. Jake likes to go to a local ice cream shop and get his favorite flavor with Bryce. He also loves to bowl and has come to Bryce's tournaments for Delta's bowling league. Bryce and Jake share a special bond that I have never seen before. Bryce is always teasing, and Jake is always laughing. Jake adds so much to Bryce's day. They do something together about two to three times a week such as movies, festivals, bowling, car rides, Chuck E.  Cheese’s, and playing video games. They do it all. It has been great seeing both of them participate in our chapter activities and be excited to see each other. They are a great Buddy Pair!”

Jacob and Bryce (with their parents) at the 2011 Friendship Walk. The boys received the Buddy Pair of the Year award presented by Best Buddies Indiana.

What Best Buddies Is All About

The most important aspect of Best Buddies Indiana is the many friendships that are formed through our college, high school and middle schools programs across the state. For those of you that are new to our organization, Best Buddies is a nonprofit organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Through our school based programs, which pairs individuals with special needs into a friendship with general education students at schools across the United States and around the world, we have seen many lives changed for the better.

What better way to describe Best Buddies than to tell the story of our amazing Buddy Pairs across the state of Indiana. Every month, this blog will chronicle an incredible Buddy Pair that truly demonstrates the mission of Best Buddies...friendship, acceptance and respect! 

Follow along on our journey through the world of Best Buddies Indiana, as we "Focus on Friendship".  

Jenna and Adria (Carmel High School chapter) have been matched for the past two years!