Dear Friends,
This eight-week philanthropic competition for Best Buddies in Kentucky celebrates Best Buddies participants and community leaders throughout the Commonwealth who have been nominated as “Champions” to raise funds and increase awareness for the mission of Best Buddies. Following the campaign, all candidates are honored at the Champion of the Year Gala. The Champion candidate who raises the most donations, surpassing all rivals in the competition, is named the 2024 Grand Champion of the Year. Funds raised by the Champions and proceeds from the Gala will directly benefit the local programs of Best Buddies in Kentucky to create more friendships, develop leadership opportunities, and open new programs for hundreds of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities around the state.
Thank you for your support of our Champion of the Year gala!
2023 Champion of the Year
Lillian Hill In 2023, Lillian Hill raised just over $11,000 for Best Buddies in Alabama!
Bid From the Heart
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
$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
This Year's Entertainment
We are so excited to welcome Marala VanHoose! Marlana is a blind singer who overcame Cytomegalovirus and cerebral palsy. She has sung all over the United States at various events & churches. Marlana is a three time Heritage Award Recipient through the Artist Music Guild. Marlana sung the National Anthem at a University of Kentucky Women’s Basketball game in 2012. This was placed on YouTube and the video went viral. Since then, CBS evening news aired her story, she has sung at 3 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Races, NCAA women’s basketball tournaments and at several NBA basketball games, as well as many other events & churches across the USA.
How to Bid
Register:
Text ALCOY24 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
