Evening Agenda
by Buddy Ambassador
Santiago and Host of NBC CT
Taylor Kinzler
BUDDIES®
Best Buddies International is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development, and inclusive living for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Our programs empower the special abilities of people with IDD by helping them form meaningful friendships with their peers, secure successful jobs, live independently, improve public speaking, self-advocacy and communication skills, and feel valued by society.
more information, please
Auction Closes
Auction
From the Heart
Champion of the Year
7:00PM 8:00PM 8:30PM 8:45PM Appetizers Welcome
Angelo
Live
Dinner Silent
Live
Bid
Crowning
BEST
For
visit: BESTBUDDIES.ORG
Emcee
Taylor Kinzler
Taylor graduated from American University in 2015 with a degree in broadcast journalism. She then went on to anchor the evening news at WABI TV5, the CBS affiliate station in Bangor, Maine for three years. In 2018, Taylor moved to Hartford, Connecticut to pursue a new venture, launching a morning lifestyle show called CT Live! You can catch her weekdays at 11:30 am on NBC Connecticut. Originally from Massachusetts, Taylor got her start in community outreach as a volunteer solutions coordinator for the United Way of Greater New Bedford, speaking with students at local high schools and connecting them to service projects. She then established “Give the Gift of You,” an online resource for Massachusetts youth to find volunteer opportunities. Taylor won the title of Miss Massachusetts in 2012, dedicating her year to that initiative while also serving as an ambassador for the Children’s Miracle Network. She has volunteered with Best Buddies in Massachusetts, Maine, and Connecticut and is proud to support their message of inclusivity, love, and acceptance.
Champions & Mission Partners
Denise Rose and Nick Rose
Margo Meley,Olivia Melilo, and Richard Fries
Andrew White and Cate Alix
Christine Sullivan and Abbie Senich Pippa Morgan
Amy Santanella and Cole O’Neill Christine Corey
Peter Ramsay and Brent Bouteiller
2022 2023 School Chapters
Bid From the Heart
The Value of Your Donation Supports
Best Buddies helps form meaningful friendships, secure successful
speaking, self-advocacy and communications
•
• Citizens/Ambassador bowling party
cost of a
Frenchtown Elementary School
Mary R. Fisher Elementary School
Middlebrook School
Perry Hill School
Ansonia Middle School
Capt. Nathan Hale School
Derby Middle School
Dodd Middle School
live independently, improve
all while feeling valued by society.
East Shore Middle School
Hamden Middle School
Harborside Middle School
Hillcrest Middle School
James H. Moran Middle School
John F. Kennedy Middle School
Mansfield Middle School
Nathan Hale Middle School
North Branford Intermediate School
North Haven Middle School
Ponus Ridge Middle School
Roton Middle School
Seymour Middle School
Shelton Intermediate School
Swift Middle School
Thompson Middle School
Torrington Middle School
Two Rivers Magnet Middle School
West Rocks Middle School
Western Middle School
Woodbury Middle School
Avon High School
Branford High School
Brien McMahon High School
Brookfield High School
Cheshire High School
Connecticut River Academy
Coventry High School
Darien High School
Derby High School
East Lyme High School
Edwin O. Smith High School
Enfield High School
Fairfield Warde High School
Glastonbury High School
Granby Memorial High School
Greens Farms Academy
Joel Barlow High School
Lyman Hall High School
Naugatuck High School
Newtown High School
North Branford High School
North Haven High School
Norwalk High School
Notre Dame High School
Oxford High School
Pomperaug High School
Robert E. Fitch High School
Rocky Hill High School
Seymour High School
Shelton High School
Simsbury High School
Southington High School
Staples High School
Suffield High School
Tourtellotte Memorial High School Trumbull High School
Valley Regional High School Watertown High School
Westhill High School
Wilbur Cross High School
Woodland Regional High School
Central Connecticut State University
Connecticut College
Eastern Connecticut State University
Fairfield University
Quinnipiac University
Sacred Heart University Southern Connecticut State University Trinity College University of Connecticut University of Hartford University of New Haven Yale University
$5,000 $2,500 $500 $350 $250 $100 $1,000 • A middle school, high school, or college Best Buddies Chapter for a year • The cost of the room and food to host 250+ Best Buddies members to the statewide Friendship Ball
10 buddy runners to participate in the ION Bank Cheshire Half Marathon or 5K or Team Best Buddies Relay • 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 • 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
• 1 buddy runner to participate in the ION Bank Cheshire Half Marathon • The cost of buying t-shirts for a school chapter • The cost to send 4 buddies to the Friendship Ball • The cost to send a buddy to the Party with a Purpose • Transportation for 2 ambassadors to give public speeches • The
pizza party for a school chapter
jobs,
public
skills,
Board Members
Valerie Strange, OTD, MS, OTR/L Board Chair
Clinical Associate Professor of Occupational Therapy
Quinnipiac University
Steve Colgan
Parent Michelle Marchand
Illusive Networks-sales
Debora Lavigne
Director of Fitness, Leisure, and Wellness, School of Health Sciences
Quinnipiac University
Lauren Vendetto
Business Owner
Andrew White, Buddy Ambassador
Business Specialist Mosaic
Heather Iannone
Teacher
Thank You
TO OUR AUCTION DONORS
Nancy L. Meyer, MAT
President, NancyProofed,LLC
Proofreading & Copyediting
Abby’s mom
Darrel Gibson Finance Executive
Stanley Black & Decker
Ashley Collins Student
Amy Santaella
Argia Mystic Crusies
Arthur Murray Dance Centers
Audi Wallingford Barbara Saive
Bob's Discount Furniture Foundation Boston Red Sox
Bridgewater Chocolate Bushka Lumber & Millwork Co. LLC
Christine Sullivan Christopher Martins Churchill Downs Connecticut Forum Cromwell Growers Curtain Call, Inc. Dana Meachen Rau Discovery Museum Disney Engine Room Essex Steam Train and Riverboat Fascia's Chocolates
Fred Astair Dance Studio Good News Gorjana
Hartford Restaurant Group Hartford Symphony Orchestra Hartford WolfPack
Hawk Ridge Winery Hill-Stead Museum
Historic Harbor Tours Hope and Stetson John's Crazy Socks
Jorgensen Center Kate Sea Coastal Art Kendra Scott
Lake Compounce Lauren Vendetto LEAF Farm Lime Rock Park
Litchfield Distillery
Lyman Orchards
Michelle Marchand
Mohegan Sun Mojoe’s Gym
Mytic Seaport New Britain Museum New England Patriots New York Knicks
Nick Rose NY Racing Association
Onyx Jewelers
Palace Theater
Paul Vallillo Peg Anthony Peter Ramsay
PEZ Candy Factory Playhouse on Park Red Owl Rio Salado Rumanoff Jewelers
Sea Bags Mystic Sift Bakeshop Mystic
Sitting Duck Tavern
Step 2 Stew Leonard’s Supercarged GoKart
The Farms Country Club
The Pottery Piazza
The Saratoga Hilton Theater Works
Thompson Speedway Travelers Championship
UConn Huskies
Urbane Hair Salon
Van Wilgen's Vera Bradley Verdi Viron Rondo Osteria
Wadsworth Atheneum Warner Theatre Waterbury Country Club Waypoint Spirits William Cole Yale Athletics Yogibo Z&L Asthetics
Attorneys and Counselors at Law Helping The Community Grow for Over 80 Years As our legal family and facilities have grown, so has our commitment to the community. Berchem Moses PC is proud to support Best Buddies! www.berchemmoses.com Westport 1221 Post Road East, Westport, CT 06880 Phone: 203-227-9545 Milford 75 Broad Street, Milford, CT 06460 Phone: 203-783-1200
Walk with us! Saturday, May 13th, 2023 @ 9:00 AM Dunkin’ Donuts Park 1214 Main Street | Hartford, CT 06103 bestbuddiesfriendshipwalk.org/ct Register Today! 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). Make a difference in your community and support local Best Buddies programs! C M Y CM MY CY CMY K
Thank You Committee Members
Michelle Marchand, Chair Andrew White Brooklyn Mastracchio Cam Berberi
Ella Paul Nancy Meyer
Raegan Lafferty Valerie Strange
Staff
Lezlye Zupkus, State Director
Lisa Enright, Director of Development
Kady Allen, Program Manager Generalist
Bill White, Senior Program Manager
TO OUR STAFF & COMMITTEE MEMBERS