WELCOME TO BEST BUDDIES

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Winter 2016 Newsletter

SEE WHATS INSIDE

A LETTER FROM THE EDITORS

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Table of Contents
A LETTER FROM THE EDITORS

Here you will learn about our editorial team and our vision for the Best Buddies newsletter. We want to
garner support within the organization and remind officers the impact they are making on the community
by being a part of this program.

KNOW YOUR FACTS

Facts about disabilities, Best Buddies International, and the Purdue University chapter are presented.

Dear Readers,
Our editorial team is wildly excited to present the
inaugural Best Buddies newsletter to your
organization.
After winning Chapter of the Universe at the 2016
national convention, we believe that it is important
to present proof of your impact on the West
Lafayette and Purdue community. We hope that this
newsletter is circulated both to the members within
the Purdue chapter and to leaders within your
international organization.

achievements of Best Buddies International, and of

the Purdue chapter.
Next, a fundraising event at Red Mango, a frozen
yogurt shop in West Lafayette, is presented. The
details of the event are outlined to show Best
Buddies efforts in community relations.
Then, a heartwarming feature story based on the
personal testimony of Purdue chapter president
Alex Delehanty is given. She shares stories from her
time at Best Buddies and where her devotion to the
organization lies.

GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY

NOT JUST ANOTHER STUDENT ORGANIZATION

Our objective in writing this newsletter is to present

events within your organization, share personal
testimonials of officers, and compile contact
information in one singular location.

Finally, officer testimonials are presented. Multiple

Best Buddies officers share stories of their time in
the organization and of the bond within their buddy
pairs.

As a Best Buddies officer, we want you to be proud

of your efforts within this organization. Every time
you devote your time and attention to Best
Buddies, you are providing an unbreakable
friendship to someone in our community who may
have never had a friend to lean on.

Information about our editorial team and contact

information for Delehanty is also listed at the end of
the document.

One of the fundraisers for Best Buddies at Purdue University is a Skip-A-Meal event at Red Mango. Details
of the intiative are presented.

This feature story gives officers a closer look into the efforts of chapter president, Alex Delehanty.
Delehanty shares her vision and passion for the organization, as well as a personal account about her
friend, Zac, a former Best Buddies member.

WHY SHOULD YOU JOIN?

Best Buddies officers are asked about their experience in the program and share insights to other
members. Officers offer an uplifting view of the organization and its efforts.

GEAR UP FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Holiday events and activity suggestions for buddy pairs are outlined in this feature article.

10

LETS CONNECT 11
Contact information for the chapter and links to social media sites are presented.

Regarding Best Buddies International, we hope you

explore this newsletter to see the unique efforts of
the Purdue chapter and the passion of its team. We
hope you find pride knowing that the Purdue
chapter puts so much care and attention toward this
organizations success.
To begin this newsletter, you will be presented with
a fact page outlining mental disabilities, the

After reading through our newsletter, we hope that

you are reinvigorated and reminded of the
immeasurable impact you have on our community
with your involvement in the program.

Happy reading!
Best,
The Editorial Team

KNOW YOUR FACTS

GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY

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about disabilities

Disability Statistics
84 percent of adults
(18+) with
developmental
disabilities do not have
a paid job in the
community.

200 million people are

affected by intellectual
and developmental
disabilities.

Visit Red Mango and Proceeds

go to Best Buddies
Of the 16 percent of people with developmental disabilities who have a
paid job in the community: 33
percent have an individually
supported job, 34 percent have
a competitive job and 34 percent
have a group supported job.

Disability Statistics
Best Buddies
International has 1,972
total chapters; 99,715
total participants;
999,150 people have
been impacted overall.

Best Buddies three

program pillars include:
one-to-one friendships,
integrated employment
and leadership
development.

There are 419 chapters on

college campuses with a total
of 25,478 participants.

ter
Purdue University Chap
The Purdue chapter
has 58 peer buddies,
58 buddies, 15
associates, and 16
members on the
executive board.

Buddies can be between the ages of 18

to 40 participating in a
collegiate chapter.

Now until Dec. 30, if you mention that you are with
Best Buddies, Red Mango will donate proceeds from
every purchase to the local chapter. The Purdue
chapter won the Chapter of the Universe Award
proving a need for donations to continue to thrive.
More than 50 buddies can benefit from this
fundraiser allowing new opportunities for activities.
Purchase frozen yogurt once or go every day, all the
support helps.
WHO: The support from the local residents, Purdue
students along with help from the
staff at Red Mango and Alexandra Delehanty, president of Best Buddies chapter
WHAT:

Red Mango Supports Best Buddies

WHEN:
2016

Now until Saturday, December 31,

WHERE:
Red Mango, 102 North Chauncey,
West Lafayette, Indiana
The Purdue chapter won the
Chapter of the Universe award
at the national conference in
Bloomington, Ind. in July as well
as a Purdue Student
Organization award.

WHY: 20 percent of every purchase will go directly

to the Best Buddies chapter in West
Lafayette, supporting the local community.
Red Mango does not have a limit on
the donation amount Best Buddies will be receiving.

NOT JUST ANOTHER STUDENT ORGANIZATION

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a word
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. Every morning, Zac wakes
up early, packs his lunch in a paper sack and walks
to the bus stop in order to make it to the Krannert
School of Management.

continue even after their duration in the program.

Yet, the chapter is facing a current shortage of
student participation to match all of the prospective
participants into pairs.

Zac works in an office filing paperwork for PhD

students every Monday-Friday. While he does not
have a drivers license or a cell phone, he still
manages to juggle two jobs in the Lafayette
community.

As president, it is Delehantys job to match

participants, called buddies, to volunteers, called
peer buddies, each semester. The organization
is reluctant to use the term volunteer because
they strive to create genuine friendships within the
pairs. They hope that they can build a community of
friends that enjoy spending time with one another
and that no volunteer views time with their buddy as
a requirement.

On Wednesdays, Zac begins his morning a little

early to send an email to his friend, Alex Delehanty,
requesting a lunch date in the Krannert Drawing
Room. The weekly email is simply worded: Will you
be my lunch date at 11:45 a.m.?

Delehanty, a senior, is the president of the Best
Buddies chapter at Purdue University. Best Buddies
is an international nonprofit organization that
focuses on the social, tactical, and relational growth
of individuals with intellectual an developmental
disabilities, or IDDs. Zac lives with an IDD and was a
participant in the program until his graduation at 40
years old.
At precisely 11:45 a.m., Delehanty leaves her
Agricultural Marketing class and walks upstairs
to the Drawing Room where, without fail, Zac has
found a table and saved her a seat. She eats a
small snack while Zac pulls out his bologna sandwich on white bread, pudding cup, and
Caffeine-Free Diet Pepsi. It is the same meal every
time because he is trying to eat healthy.

My favorite aspect of being president is making the

matches of buddy pairs and setting up friends that
I think will be good together. I love watching these
friendships grow, Delehanty said.
Above: Delehanty serves as the current president
of Best Buddies at Purdue University. She leads a
team of 16 executive board members and 58 peer
buddies.
They talk about his day at work, their friends, and
the funny movies that they have seen recently. They
talk until the bus arrives and Zac travels to his next
job of the day.
The Best Buddies chapter at Purdue matches 58
pairs of volunteers and participants living with IDDs
and holds monthly meetings to foster personal,
social, and career development among the
buddies. A goal within the Purdue chapter is to build
strong bonds between the buddy groups that

She added that one of her favorite relationships is

between her boyfriend and his buddy Michael.
They are best friends. Michael will be in Skylers
wedding one day, Delehanty added.
In July, the Purdue chapter was awarded the
Chapter of the Universe award at the Best
Buddies International Conference in
Bloomington, Ind. Delehanty credits the chapters
extensive success to the genuine friendships that
have arisen from their organization and the
passionate work of the executive board.
Personally, I knew I wanted to be involved at

Purdue and Best Buddies stood out to me because

it felt like an organization where I would be able to
better both myself and others. I feel like leadership
positions in clubs can be stigmatized by networking
or personal gain and I specifically sought a
leadership position within this organization because
I knew that my devotion would help many others,
Delehanty said.
While the chapters recruitment period is typically at
the beginning of the fall semester, they are currently
taking interest at a rolling basis, due to the influx of
interest in the program. With so many prospective
participants, Best Buddies is looking for additional
student participation to create more buddy pairs.
Delehanty can be contacted via email in regards to
becoming a member.
Regarding the relational value of the program,
Delehanty leads by example spending time with
both current and alumni buddies outside of
organized events.
When you call your buddy or take them out for ice
cream, that may be the only social interaction they
have all day. While it may seem small, your time
and presence could mean more to these individuals
than you would ever know, Delehanty added.

Delehantys continued friendship with Zac serves
as an example of the success stories within the
program. Observing his happiness and productivity
can not only provide evidence of the value of the
organization, but also help end the stigma against
disabilities for good.

WHY SHOULD YOU JOIN?

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Frankie Aiello
How long have you been involved in the Best Buddies organization?
I have been involved with the Purdue Best Buddies club for a
year now, last spring 2016 semester and this fall 2016 semester. I
now hold an officer position this year as the External Activities
Coordinator, which means that I plan club meetings and invite
others to come and entertain or speak to the club members during
meeting times.
What motivated you to join the Best Buddies organization?
I had never really heard of Best Buddies before college because it
wasnt really a thing at my high school. However, one of my best
friends at Purdue was a part of it and she would always talk about
it and encourage us to come hang out at meetings or to come
on buddy dates with her. I really enjoyed doing this and spending time with the buddies so she matched me with a best buddy
during one of the meetings last year. It was this friend who has
been such a positive impact on my life and through this organization.
What motivates you to remain in the Best Buddies organization?
I remain in the Best Buddies Organization because I am grateful
to be a part of something so impactful and empowering. This organization gives all members the opportunity to come in and just
hang out and be themselves, met new people, and to be a friend
for someone who needs you. My buddy is also a huge reason I
love the organization so much. She is a 34 year old woman who
is a ray of sunshine to everyone she meets. She has a heart of gold
and a personality like a wildfire, spreading happiness and love to
anyone who walks into her life. While I am a peer buddy to her,
being her friend and helping her along the way, she has also been
my friend, teaching me so much and giving me a meaningful
perspective on life and many other things.
What was the most memorable moment during the meetings?
Some of the most memorable moments I have during the meetings are when I get to see the laughter and joy the buddies have
when they walk into the room, excited to learn what were going
to do during that meeting. Its even better since I am able to bring
that joy to them in planning the meetings. However, one of my favorite moments was during a meeting last year where we brought
in the Purdue University Dance Marathon Moral Committee to

come and teach the moral dance to the buddies. They all got up
on their feet and starting following the dance moves. It was beautiful seeing everyone laughing and dancing together, even though
the majority of us have no dance skills and had no idea what was
going on. :)
How did attending the meetings change your perspectives on
the mentally disabled population?
If I had to describe the first meeting I attended for the club in one
word, I would say it was chaotic, but in a good way! I remember
the moment all the buddies walked into the room in search of
their college buddy. Their faces just lit up when they found them
and the first thing they would do would be to go and give their
buddy a big hug. This really put the meaning of life and acceptance into perspective for me. It made me realize that no matter
who you are or no matter what you may have gone through or
are currently going through, everyone can come together and be
happy and celebrate together. There is no reason to judge someone just because they are different form you and everyone has
something different to offer the world.
Why would you recommend this program to other students?
I would recommend this program to other students because it
is such a friendly organization where people can come together
and have fun without the stressors of class, exams, projects, etc. It
allows people to make new friends and hang out with them. For
a lot of these buddies, you may be their only consistent friend in
their life, so being there for them is so important. Even though
you are the mentor, you still are able to learn so much from the
buddies in the program and they bring so much happiness and joy
to your life.
Skye Jordane
How long have you been involved in the Best Buddies organization?
1.5 years
What motivated you to join the Best Buddies organization?
My sister introduced me to Best Buddies from her participation in
the organization at her university. She told me about all the activities she participated in and hearing how much fun she had interested me in joining myself. Also, I loved the concept of forming a
strong, one-on-one friendship with someone else who doesnt get
the opportunities to form these friendships daily like I do.

What motivates you to remain in the Best Buddies organization?

My buddy, Kaitlyn, and I have gotten so close over the short span
of a year and a half. I love spending time with her both inside and
outside of the meetings and Ive also gotten close with her family.
I love to see the progress our friendship makes over time. Also, I
love seeing other friendships progress as well. Seeing the look on
some of the arc buddies faces when they enter meetings brings an
indescribable feeling that you can only understand if you see it for
yourself.
What was the most memorable moment during the meetings?
One of the most memorable moments Ive witnessed was during
last years Halloween meeting. Watching the buddies sing, dance
and genuinely have so much fun with one another and their college buddies was the highlight of the semester.
How did attending the meetings change your perspectives on
the mentally disabled population?
Ive always viewed those with intellectual developmental disabilities as equal to myself and others, but attending the meetings has
truly proven to me that they are just like us. My perspective has
changed not on them, but on those who judge them. It breaks my
heart knowing that people show prejudice towards the mentally
disabled population because that is the last thing they deserve.
They are some of the most loving, genuine people Ive ever met in
my life and being surrounded by them makes me wish that everyone would give them the chances they deserve.
Why would you recommend this program to other students?
Its an eye-opening experience. Oftentimes we get caught up in
our own lives, and we tend to take a lot of things, like our abilities,
for granted. Being in Best Buddies allows you to take a step back
and appreciate all youre given and appreciate the different kinds
of people in this world. It allows you to form a genuine, fun and
laid-back friendship where the desire for this friendship is mutual.
Jade Mickey
How long have you been involved in the Best Buddies organization?
I have been involved in Best Buddies since 2012.
What motivated you to join the Best Buddies organization?
During high school, I spent a lot of my time working with the
special needs students. As I learned to work with them, I wanted
to spend more time with them, specifically outside of the classroom environment. Best Buddies gave me the opportunity to do
that and create opportunities for friendships for people with and
without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
What motivates you to remain in the Best buddies organization?
What motivates me to remain in the organization is both the
people within the organization and my passion for working with
people who have special needs.
What was the most memorable moment during the meetings?
The most memorable moments during the meetings are see
everyone smiling and having a good time. We all learn so much

about each other. It is so rewarding see what being a part of this

organization does for others.
How did attending the meetings change your perspectives on
the mentally disabled population?
Best Buddies has changed my perspective on the mentally disabled population by being more aware of those people. I wouldnt
no longer just ignore someone (with an IDD) I would see in a
public place, but rather try to interact with that person. They are
no different that people who dont have an IDD.
Why would you recommend this program to other students?
I would recommend this program to other students because it is
life-changing. It changed my view in a positive light. When joining the club, friendships are created that are like no other.
Kate Trachtman
How long have you been involved in the Best Buddies organization?
This is my 3rd year involved in Best Buddies.
What motivated you to join the Best Buddies organization?
I worked in a special needs classroom all throughout high school,
but we did not have a Best Buddies program. When I got to
college I knew I wanted to join a club that promoted friendship
between people with special needs and students. I didnt learn
about Best Buddies until my sophomore year, when one of my
good friends told me about it.
What motivates you to remain in the Best buddies organization?
All of the buddies motivate me to remain in Best Buddies. My
buddy Marcus is a huge part of my life, and our weekly lunch
meetings are one of the highlights of my week. Being around the
special needs community brings me so much joy, and made me
love Best Buddies.
What was the most memorable moment during the meetings?
The most memorable moment during a meeting for me was when
my buddy, Marcus, danced the PUDM dance with me. Marcus is
not a big dancer, but because he knew it would make me happy,
he danced. This memory always reminds me how selfless and kind
Marcus is.
How did attending the meetings change your perspectives on
the mentally disabled population?
I actually worked with a more severely disabled population before
Best Buddies, so I think the main thing for me was that I got to
see the diversity of special needs, as well as learned that a disability never defines a person.
Why would you recommend this program to other students?
This program is my favorite thing that I have done in college. Best
Buddies gives you the opportunity to become friends with people
who you may have not met without the club. It broadens your
horizons, and teaches you so much about yourself. I have grown
tremendously through Best Buddies, and hope that everyone else
gets to experience what I have.

LETS CONNECT

GEAR UP FOR THE HOLIDAYS

contact information

in your Buddy Pairs

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. The twinkling lights. The iced
sugar cookies. The Christmas carols. There is no dispute
why December is considered the most wonderful time
of the year.

Purdue Best Buddies Chapter Website:

https://boilerlink.purdue.edu/organization/bestbuddies

The Purdue chapter of Best Buddies will be hosting a

holiday party on Dec. 6 at 6:00 P.M. in Potter Lyle Hall.
While president Alex Delehanty and her internal events
coordinators expect high attendance, they also
encourage buddy pairs to spread Christmas cheer
together in the local community.
At Best Buddies, monthly meetings are held with the
entire chapter. Individual buddy pairs are also expected
to spend time together outside of the classroom to bond
and build communication skills.
Additionally, with finals quickly approaching, spending
time enjoying festivities with your buddy could be the
perfect way to relieve test anxiety. Here are some events
and activities in West Lafayette in the month of
December:
Purdue Christmas Show With its first performance in
1933, The Purdue Christmas Show is one of Purdue
Universitys oldest traditions. According to
homeofpurdue.com, the festive show of carols includes
performances by the Varsity Glee Club, the Purduettes,
and the University choir, among others. This years show
will be held on Dec. 3 through Dec. 4 in the Elliot Hall of
Music.
Christmas Parade Also on Dec. 3, the Lafayette
Chamber of Commerce will present the Downtown
Christmas Parade. According to homeofpurdue.com, the
spectacle is regarded as Indianas largest holiday
parade. Marching bands, floats, and Christmas
characters will proceed down Main Street beginning at
5:30 P.M.
Matterns Pine Ridge Nursery Pine trees are one of
the most universal symbols of Christmas, and chopping

Best Buddies International Website:

https://bestbuddies.org/

Alexandra Delehanty, Purdue University Best Buddies President

317- 504-6616 | adeleha@purdue.edu
Above: Performers sing and dance for a festive audience at the annual Purdue Christmas Show. The
show is one of Purdues oldest traditions.
down a fresh tree is a tradition in many households. Buddy pairs could venture to Matterns Pine Ridge
Nursery off of Old State Rd. to cut down or decorate a
tree, as well as simply meander through the nursery to
enjoy nature.
The Salvation Army This year, the Salvation Army is
giving residents the opportunity to provide Christmas
cheer to the community members who need it most. At
various locations around West Lafayette, giving trees
offer residents the chance to sponsor a child in need. By
taking an ornament from the tree, individuals vow to
provide gifts to their designated child. Shopping for the
child could be a great way to spend time together as
buddy pairs while also helping the community. Gifts are
to be turned in to Levee Tan locations by Dec. 9.
Holiday memories can be made from within the
West Lafayette community. As the holiday season is a
time to spend with friends and family, peer buddies are
urged to spend time with their buddies. Consider these
festive activities that are no more than a short drive
away!

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/bestbuddies/?hl=en

Meet Our Team

Jae Lee:

Lee is a senior majoring in Public Relations & Strategic Communication and minoring in Computer Information Technology. He loves coffee.

Amanda Vassall:

Vassall is a senior studying Public Relations & Strategic Communication with a minor in Management. She
is from Naperville, Ill. and hopes to take her degree back to Chicagoland and work for a PR agency.

Megan Goonewardene:

Goonewardene is a senior studying Public Relations & Strategic Communication. Her dream job would be
working in sales and marketing with an emphasis on communication strategies and tactics.

Paige Annee:

Annee is a senior studying Public Relations & Strategic Communication, with a Certificate in
Entrepreneurship. She hopes to work for a public relations agency specializing in beauty, health, and
consumer brands.