By KATE PIERCE
Executive Editor
Over a thousand people made strides to promote inclusion at the Best Buddies Friendship walk at Crossgates Mall. Among the crowd were students from the chapter based at Saint Rose.
“It’s really amazing to see everyone come together and the energy in the building is crazy,” said Kennedy Connor, treasurer of Best Buddies. “People have been anticipating this event for months and it’s nice to see people get excited about a great cause.”
Best Buddies is an international organization that promotes friendship including people who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Saint Rose chapter has around 60 members, and many attended the walk on April 22.
“The best part about the walk is hanging out and talking and listening to music,” said Michael Nireshan Thampoe, a buddy member of the club.
The opening act of the walk featured Marlana VanHoose singing the National Anthem. VanHoose has performed all around the country and is an advocate for Best Buddies as she is blind, was born with Cytomegalovirus and diagnosed with mild cerebral palsy when she was two.
“Best Buddies has taught me so much, not only about myself, but about other people,” said Olivia Brooker, a peer member of the club. “We are more alike than we are different, and I think that’s something everyone should learn.”
The Friendship Walk is an opportunity for chapters from around the Albany region to come together and raise money for other clubs to be created. In total, the Saint Rose chapter raised over $1,600 and received an award for being one of the top fundraisers.
“We’re trying to create the possibility for chapters like ours to be created all over the world,” said Amanda Schafer, president of the Saint Rose chapter.
Only five percent of the funds raised from Friendship Walks covers administrative costs, leaving the overwhelming majority of funds to be spent creating inclusive programs worldwide.Schafer believes that the transparency of the national organization concerning how the money raised from the event is spent is unparalleled among similar fundraising organizations.
“When you bring people together for a positive reason it makes change,” said Nicole Birch the Albany regional director of Best Buddies.
Around 1,200 people attended the event and walked to promote inclusion. Joining the Saint Rose club were members of the men’s soccer team.
“We’re very big with community engagement,” said John Ciano, head men’s soccer coach. “An important part of the college experience is being a part of the community and giving back.”
The team has been supported at games by members of Best Buddies, and the players decided to give support back.
“The buddies really look up to the soccer team, so I think that it means a lot to the buddies for them to participate,” said Olivia Brooker, a peer member of the club.”For the soccer team, I think they get to see how much they mean to the buddies.”
Best Buddies was shown how much they mean to the campus community as the recipient of the Club of the Year Award from the Student Association.
“Everyone has something different to bring and Best Buddies allows students of all kinds to come together and share these differences,” said Connor. “Everybody deserves the opportunity to make friends and share those differences.”
It hasn’t been an easy journey to where the club is today. When Schafer took over as president of the club, she was the only executive board member. She had to bring together a team of students to build the club up to have such a solid foundation.
“I’ve been really proud of the Saint Rose officers for their ability to demonstrate leadership among members and in the Saint Rose community,” Nikolas Delsignore, program manager for schools in the Albany area.
Best Buddies hosts programs so students can be partnered up in “buddy pairs” and have fun.
“We’ve given opportunities for the buddies to put themselves out there and be included,” said Schafer.”We can make them feel included, but they aren’t always actually included.”
As students with intellectual or developmental disabilities, it can be difficult to become a part of a college campus community. Some students are afraid they won’t be accepted, or their routines might stand in the way Best Buddies serves to bridge the gap between the traditional college experience and what it could be.
“I’m a part of Best Buddies to spread unconditional friendship for all people,” said Megan Lachapelle, secretary of the club.
Any club, team, or on campus organization is open to collaborate with Best Buddies, as they are hoping to bring in even more membership from current and incoming students.
“Students in Best Buddies are college students,” said Schafer. “Working with us really opens your eyes to more of the campus community.”
While the club has accomplished many feats this year and hopes to continue the momentum into next year, Schafer holds interesting hopes for the organization looking father down the line.
“Our goal is to run ourselves out of business,” said Schafer. “We hope that one day inclusion isn’t something that will need to be promoted anymore.”
Currently, Best Buddies hosts chapters at every age level, from elementary school, through colleges like Saint Rose, and into adulthood with a Citizens Program.
“You can be involved for your entire life,” said Birch. ”That’s something that’s really unique about Best Buddies.”
Going to class and having fun are two goals for college students of all abilities, and bringing them together is the specialty of Best Buddies at Saint Rose.
“By joining Best Buddies you are gaining a forever friendship between you and your buddy,” said Brooker. “I’ve made some of my best friends through this club and I highly recommend everyone to join.”
