Georgia COY Program Book

Dear Friends,

Hello! And welcome to the 2022 Champion of the Year Gala for Best Buddies in Georgia. I am so glad to be with you this evening and to share in this celebration together. My name is Trevor Ruff and I serve as the Board Chair for Best Buddies in Georgia. I had the honor of being introduced to the organization in 2018. At that time, Best Buddies was making its introduction into Georgia and laying the foundation for inclusion, jobs and friendship.

And what an incredible amount of growth we’ve seen in just this last year! All thanks to dedicated community members, volunteers and supporters like you who believe opportunity and inclusion for all matters.

Best Buddies mission has a special place in my heart and I hope can help foster inclusion, jobs and friendship for everyone. Our goal is that what we are doing here today makes such an impact that Best Buddies is a footnote to a better future together.

So enjoy your time here this evening, raise a glass and a paddle to our Champions and furthering our mission together!

Trevor Ruff Board Chair BBGA

Thank You To Our Sponsors!

Event Planning Committee

Olivia Wamack

Carrie Kessler

Robin Bilderback

John Barrett Alex Barrett

"I'm honored to have worked with this team in preparation for Georgia's biggest COY gala yet! This is sure to be one of the best nights of the year!"

NCL Members

Olivia Wamack, Event Chair

Georgia Advisory Board

Trevor Ruff

Board Chair, Associate, Holland & Knight

John Wilson

Director, Strategic Planning FIS

Erick Cooper Marsh USA

Marcellus Parker

Head of Corporate Real Estate & Workplace, Americas JLL

Kim Finnegan

Managing Partner, Property Works

James Reeves

VP Enterprise Sales, Relias

Allan Soto

CEO, Vinea Capital

Olivia Wamack

Model, Director of PR

Treavor Scales

Studio Host, ESPN

How to Bid

Register: Text CTCHAMPS to (76278)

Donate: Text the word GIVE and amount (dollar sign not required) to (76278)

*You can also bid in the silent auction once you’ve registered

The Value of Your Donations

Best Buddies helps those with intellectual and developmental disabilities form meaningful friendships, secure successful jobs, live independently, improve public speaking, self-advocacy and communications skills, all while feeling valuedbysociety.

2021 Grand Champion

Antonio Contreras & Kyle Miller

Best Buddies has helped me make friends and learn to advocate for myself. Last year I was excited to be nominated as a Champion Candidate and to have Kyle Miller serve as my Campaign Manager. He and his company, Insight Global, rallied around me and together we raised nearly $60,000 for Best Buddies in Georgia! It was so cool to be the Grand Champion and celebrate our efforts!

I am excited to see all that’s happened this past year and hope you will help us raise funds to launch our next mission pillar, our Jobs Program, that will help participants like me find a career in Atlanta after graduation! Thank you!

2022 Champion Candidates

Dixon

Darden Glass Jillian Daellenbach

Callaghan & Kennedy Holly Justin Salter

Rivard

Freishtat

Marian

This Year’s Entertainment

The melodious hybridization of a world class philharmonic orchestra along with the thumping grooves of Outkast and the kinetic energy of Michael Jackson...Unknown Lyric is a force to be reckoned with. Jeremiah Turner on acoustic guitar and Kevin Grayson on violin, their sound can best be described as a classical fusion. Founded in the year 2009, Unknown Lyric has been progressive in the promotion of the importance of live instruments. They won the acclaimed Amateur Night at the world renowned Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York in 2011. Along with playing the Saint Lucia Jazz Festival. One of their biggest accomplishments was playing for media mogul Oprah Winfrey for the cast luncheon of her HBO movie The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.

This Year’s Entertainment

A Global Ambassador and member of the Best Buddies programs both in Maryland and Georgia, Keaton has been an incredible example of resilience and personal growth. Although on the autism spectrum, Keaton has learned self advocacy, leadership development even sharing his story on the local news! He is a wiz at flight simulation, mountain biking and making new friends. We’re honored to have him with us tonight as our Mission Moment speaker to share on the importance of inclusion for all.

Marlana was born with Cytomegalovirus (CMV), by the time she was a few weeks old it was discovered that she was blind. Her optic nerve never formed. She was not expected to live past one year. At the age of two, Marlana was diagnosed with mild cerebral palsy. But that hasn’t stopped her one bit. A three time Heritage Award Recipient through the Artist Music Guild, Marlana has sung the National Anthem at numerous sporting events, conventions and has even performed for presidents! She serves as a Global Ambassador for Best Buddies and has used her incredible talents to show the world that everyone has gifts and can use them to inspire others!

Georgia School Programs

Elementary School

Chapters

Blanford Elementary

Ebenezer Elementary

Heritage Elementary

Hubbard Elementary

Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary

Rosa Taylor Elementary

Tritt Elementary Union Elementary

High School Chapters

Calhoun High Seminole County High

Riverwood International Charter

Central Gwinnett High The Galloway School

Rutland High Winder Barrow High Chamblee Charter High Woodland High

Collins Hill High Pope High

Denmark High Dunwoody High

Effingham County High

Howard High

Lakeside High

Mary Persons High

North Atlanta High

North Springs High Pike County High

Middle School Chapters

Campbell Middle McClure Middle

Monroe County Middle Piney Grove Middle Rutland Middle

College Chapters

Emory University

Georgia College and State University

Georgia Tech University of Georgia University of North GA Dahlonega

Agnes Scott College ...and counting!

Walk. Celebrate. Support

The Best Buddies Friendship Walk is the leading walk in the country supporting inclusion for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (also known as IDD).