Welcome to the sixth-annual Champion of the Year Gala for Best Buddies in Maine! Tonight, we aim to celebrate, recognize, and uplift the intellectual and development disability community in our state. Hundreds of you have supported this Champion of the Year fundraising campaign for that very same purpose
c t r F at the Champion of the Year Gala. The Champion candidate who raises the most donations, surpassing all rivals in the competition, is named our 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 Maine 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 and beyond! We couldn’t do this every day.
SPONSOR SIGNATURE SPONSOR
Whether you ’ ve sponsored the Gala since the beginning or are just joining the community this year, we are so grateful for your support of disability inclusion in Maine.
SILVERSPONSORS SILVERSPONSORS
Circle of Champions
Fiona MacArthur | Over $50,000 Raised in 2023
Our 2023 Champion of the Year was Greely High School junior Fiona MacArthur. Raising over $50,000 for Best Buddies with her fundraising campaign last year, Fiona has made a tremendous impact on our local programs. She and her Mission Partner, Payton “P-Dog” Brown, have been members of the BB chapters at Greely High School since the beginning. This is the second student in a row to claim the Grand Champion title, and we are thrilled to see more and more young people rally around the mission of disability inclusion every year.
Thank you to Fiona, Payton, and our “Circle of Champions” for all they’ve done for our organization and the disability community!
2020 Champion Jaime Kiesow
2021 Champion Scott Kent
2022 Champion Lauren Weber
Candidates
Henry Adams
Mariza Budri
Ellie Clifford
Olivia Fraioli
Leo Gerrior
Laura Glover
Jeremey Kriss
JT Murtagh IV
Tara Nelson
Emma Silver
Kristen Tully
Mission Partners
Best Buddies Champion of the Year unites and recognizes our community’s most active leaders in the name of inclusion. And right now, inclusion is more important than ever before. Best Buddies is rapidly adapting to keep people connected and serve our programs in new ways. Mission Partners are such an important part of the Champion of the Year campaign because they work to support Champions and share about the incredible mission of Best Buddies.
Liam O’Brien
Bryan McBride
Caitlin Williams
Pete Tarling
Tucker Conley
Alex Agostino
This Year's Entertainment
Marlana VanHoose was born with cytomegalovirus and cerebral palsy, expected to only live one year or less Despite all odds, she overcame nearly every obstacle that was thrown at her. Marlana developed a love for music early in life, and she has been singing and playing piano ever since, gracing national stages across the country We’re so lucky to have her join us at tonight’s Gala!
How to Bid
Register:
Text MECOY24 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!
Maine ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS: Fall 2024
ROB MCPHEETERS
BBME Board President
VP Strategy, EnviroLogix Falmouth, ME
TUCKER CONLEY
Community Volunteer Portland, ME
MARY PAT DONNELLON
Sr Advisor, Susquehanna Growth Equity
Old Orchard Beach, ME
OLIVIA FRAIOLI
Community Relations Manager, NDSS Portland, ME
ALLY FULLER
Legacy Properties Sotheby’s Realty Portland, ME
LIZ KALIL
Speech Language Therapist Portland, ME
SCOTT KENT
Retired COO, United Insurance Cumberland, ME
LIZ MAHONEY
SAM NORRIS
Athletic Mentor & Disability Advocate Scarborough, ME
AMY PARKER
M D , Maine Health Falmouth, ME
JEN PINCUS
Trial Attorney, Office of the U.S. Trustee North Yarmouth, ME
AMY SEDGWICK
M.D. and Emergency Physician, InterMed North Yarmouth, ME
JENNIFER GRIMSHAW WEBER
Sales Director, Anthem Insurance North Yarmouth, ME
SCOTT WENTZELL
Partner Marketing Manager, WEX Inc. North Yarmouth, ME
RACHEL WILLIAMS
VP of Store Operations, Day’s Jewelers Saco, ME Cumberland, ME
“[The2024BestBuddiesLeadershipConference] wasthemostamazingexperienceofmylife It’slike somethingdeepwithinmewasignited Every personImetthereIcouldimmediatelycallafriend Ilefttheconferencewithafullheart,alotofnew friends,andanew-founddrivetohelpbuild inclusioninmycommunity”
Wilson Clough, Wells High School President “IsaiahandMagnolia(students)havebeenpaired for2yearsnow Iloveseeingtheirfriendship blossom Magnoliacomestomyclassroomevery morning,sayshellotoallofus,andwalksIsaiahto class,catchinguponallthethingsthatfriendsdo.”
Join an existing school chapter! We have clubs at schools with and without built-in special education programs.
STARTACHAPTER
Be an inclusion leader by starting a Best Buddies chapter! Receive support from Best Buddies staff every step of the way.
JOINCITIZENS(18+)
Make a friend while participating in inclusive activities with adults with and without IDD in your local community.
JOINE-BUDDIES
Provide social inclusion and be a friend in a virtual space in our emailbased pen pal program.
BE AN AMBASSADOR
Attend an Ambassador training to learn speech writing, public speaking, and advocacy skills for the disability population
BRING AN AMBASSADOR TO YOUR COMMUNITY
Invite an Ambassador to speak about inclusion at your school, workplace, or community group!
BE A SPEECH COACH
Attend a training as a speech coach to support an individual on their journey to becoming an Ambassador.
HOST A TRAINING
Get a group together to level up your leadership and advocacy skills. We provide the content, and you lead the training!
SIGNATURE EVENTS & ADVISORY BOARD
JOIN A COMMITTEE
Support our annual signature events by joining a committee and assisting with logistics, publicity, and much more!
ATTEND AN EVENT
One of the best ways to spread awareness for inclusion is to attend our events! Invite friends, family, and co-workers to join you.
JOIN OUR LOCAL ADVISORY BOARD
Advisory board members commit to a two-year term where they utilize their skills and connections to expand our reach at the local level.
*There is an application and interview process for this volunteer opportunity
Partnering for Better
Harvard Pilgrim proudly supports Best Buddies’ Champion of the Year Gala 2024. Offering best-in class service, a dedicated support team and an unwaivering commitment to improving the health and wellness of the communities we serve. Together, we can make a difference.
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).
