Dear Friends, Welcome to our 2021 Champion of the Year Gala! After another challenging year that has come along with navigating the unknown of the pandemic, it brings me great joy to be here alongside wonderful friends who share the same passion for inclusion. I find myself in absolute awe when I think about all of the incredible things we have been able to accomplish together to maintain the success of our programmatic initiatives. Tonight, I would love to extend a special thank you to all our sponsors, advisory board members, and committee members who have helped make this event an extraordinary success. Most notably, I want to say thank you to our Champions who have demonstrated the true spirit of giving by working tirelessly over the past several months to support the Best Buddies’ mission! On behalf of Best Buddies in Georgia, we thank you for your thoughtfulness and generosity by attending our event.
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Please sit back, relax, and enjoy the night!
Olivia Wamack 2021 Best Buddies’ Champion of the Year Event Chair
Olivia Wamack, Event Chair Erick Cooper, Event Planning Committee Jennifer Camota Luebke, Event Planning Committee
The Value of Your Donation Supports Best Buddies helps form meaningful friendships, secure successful jobs, live independently, improve public speaking, self-advocacy and communications skills, all while feeling valued by society.
$5,000 • A middle school, high school, or college Chapter for a year • The cost of the room and food to host 250+ Best Buddies members to the statewide Friendship Ball $2,500 • 10 buddy runners to participate in the ION Bank Cheshire Half Marathon or 5K or Team Best Buddies Relay $1,000 • The cost to send a Buddy to the Leadership Conference (Registration and Air) • A tent at the walk • DJ or photo booth for a statewide Best Buddies event $500 • Bus to transport a school chapter to the Friendship Walk or Friendship Ball • Registration for a buddy to attend the Leadership Conference • The cost of a flight to send a student leader to the Leadership Conference in Indiana $350 • Citizens/Ambassador bowling party • 1 buddy runner to participate in the ION Bank Cheshire Half Marathon • The cost of buying t-shirts for a school chapter $250 • The cost to send 4 buddies to the Buddy Ball • The cost to send a buddy to the Party with a Purpose • Transportation for 2 ambassadors to give public speeches • The cost of a pizza party for a school chapter
Candidates
Andrew
Antonio
Callaghan &
David
Dixon
Contreras
Kennedy
Quilleon
Jim
Michael
Trevor
Reeves
Kozicki
Rashawn White Pam
First Name Last Name
Ruff
Tonight, you will get to hear from Callaghan and Kennedy or better known as the dynamic duo, “Kennegan”! Callaghan, a fiery 14-year-old 8th grader at Paideia Middle School loves sports, video games, and has a passion for helping others. She chose to be a buddy because she feels like the world won’t change unless you jump in and change it! Kennedy is 11 years old and getting ready for her first year of middle school. She loves Callaghan, playing with slime, her friends, school, and auditioning to be on TV. These two close friends share a love of Marvel movies, ice cream, and popcorn! We think they’re a pretty fabulous pair and we know you will, too!
Register: Text GACHAMPS to (76278)
Donate: Text the word GIVE and amount (dollar sign not required) to (76278)
Georgia native, Audrey Lanier Andersen, is a fine-art photographer who expresses her love of the natural world through the colors, forms and patterns she captures while hiking the trails of Appalachia. She is an alumna of Georgia Tech, mother of Savannah and Jake, wife of Bill, and “Dog Mom” to Doodle, a certified therapy dog. When she isn’t behind the camera lens, Audrey serves the Georgia REACH Program and the Cartersville Schools Foundation where she mentors young adults and helps prepare them for college and the world beyond.
Carly Burruss is a touring musician and songwriter out of Atlanta, Georgia. She’s shared the stage with artists such as Keith Urban, Lee Ann Womack, and Ellie Holcomb and also leads worship around the Southeast.