WELCOME Dear Friends of Best Buddies, It is my privilege and honor to welcome you to the 2023 Central Illinois Champion of the Year Gala. We are so happy to be back together at Warehouse on State for our third year and are looking forward to spending this evening with you all. As we gather here tonight and look toward an even more inclusive 2024, moving this volunteer movement forward has never been more important. We have spent 2023 enhancing our programs and our communities across the state and ensuring that our participants are given the best opportunities for friendship, leadership development, and integrated employment. And what a year it has been! We have opened 9 schools, brought 23 new job seekers into the Jobs program, assisted 6 of them in being hired, trained 250 new leaders through our Ambassador program, leading to 18 speaking engagements, and have brought in 200 adults from communities across Central Illinois into our Citizens Program. This work is possible because of the support from people in our communities like our Champion of the Year Candidates and the people like you, who support them. We are grateful for your support. In 2020, I was in their shoes, competing to bring in the most awareness and funding for Best Buddies in Illinois. And while I came in second place, I know that all of this work is for a greater purpose. I have gotten to see Central Illinois grow and offer new and incredible opportunities to participants, like being the first Black, Autistic, man to drive a monster truck because of nights like tonight. Your ongoing support and recognition is what makes life-changing situations like these possible. Best Buddies in Illinois serves 80 school chapters, has trained 400 Ambassadors, made 23 Citizens matches, supports 41 Jobs Participants, and impacts over 8,000 people in the Central Illinois Area by giving individuals with and without IDD the opportunity to create meaningful and long-lasting friendships and feel included in their community. Thanks to all of you for attending and providing the financial and emotional support that helps create these opportunities. Without each of you, the success of an inclusive world would not be where it is today. I would like to specifically thank our sponsors, including The Yard, BTD, Jones Brother’s Jewelers, CEFCU, CityLink, Lonergan’s, Sun Collectors, Tito’s, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Goodfield State Bank, DJ4U, and Keith Engineering Design, my fellow committee members, and Best Buddies staff who have helped make this event what it is this evening. To our Champions, Campaign Managers, and Mission Partners, your dedication to the mission, enthusiasm for the event, and willingness to help others is second to none. I would like to thank each of you once again for joining and supporting the mission of Best Buddies International. Your generosity and donations make our work possible. Have a lovely rest of your evening celebrating the success of this year’s event, and we look forward to welcoming you back next year for the 2024 Champion of the Year Event.
In Friendship, Travis Platt Central Illinois Champion of the Year Committee Co-Chair
About Champion of the Year Champion of the Year unities the community's most active leaders in the name of inclusion. Through 10 weeks of raising funds and awareness for Best Buddies, our Champions will generate countless opportunities for friendship, jobs, and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The dollars raised through the Champion of the Year campaign will immediately be put to work through the launch of new friendships and employment opportunities. This is an enormous gift to children, teens, and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families, and the community as a whole. Best Buddies’ friendship, jobs, and leadership programs now impact over 1,000 people in the Bay Area - this movement could not happen without the support from people like you and me. So please know that when you give, it makes a huge difference.
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 communication skills, all while feeling valued by society.
$5,000 Gift of Friendship: Bring Together people with and without IDD for friendships that cultivate community-wide social inclusion, by funding a new school, citizens, or corporate chapter in the Best Buddies Friendship program.
$2,500 Training Day: Fund an all-day Ambassadors training session for up to 50 people with and without IDD, where attendees will gain the public speaking skills and confidence needed to champion inclusion throughout their community.
$1,000 Prepare Future Advocates: Give a student leader, Ambassador, or Jobs participant the opportunity to attend the annual Best Buddies Leadership Conference, where they will learn to be advocates for themselves and the larger IDD community.
$250 It's A Match! Support a one-to-one friendship between someone and their peer, helping to build a mutually enriching connection that enhances the lives of program participants and their families.
$100 You've Got Mail! Fund an online e-Buddies friendship between a person with and a person without IDD. The e-pal program allows participants to become more social and technology literate, which may lead to more advanced career opportunities.
Champion Candidates Cam Brewer was born and raised in Peoria. You may recognize his voice in some of the most highly crafted radio commercials in Peoria’s history. Throughout his history, he has been a supporter of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. A Richwoods grad, he continues to support people with IDD at Peoria Production Solutions. He is a dad, a community leader, and a great friend! Cam Brewer Beth lives and works in Morton as a Nurse Practitioner at A Balanced Life. While she doesn’t like scary movies, she does love supporting her community and going on medical mission trips. Beth believes everyone deserves the best quality of life and strives for inclusion!!!
Beth Hayes
Brooklin is a senior at East Peoria High School. She is the former Best Buddies Chapter President at EPHS and current Chapter Liason. She is also on girls' Varsity Tennis. Brooklin attended the Best Buddies Leadership Conference this summer as an Ambassador. Currently a Best Buddies State Ambassador in Illinois, Brooklin advocates for the IDD community, Autism Awareness, and anti-bullying. Brooklin Heeren
Jeff is from Bloomington-Normal and works for Carle Health in BloNo, Champaign, and Peoria. By day, he is a software support senior engineer. By night, he is a karaoke superstar! A recently discovered hidden talent, Jeff will be performing in Las Vegas at the International Karaoke Federation World Finals in November. This father of 7 is working to grow Best Buddies mission across I-74. Jeff Hunt Tim is a Best Buddies State Ambassador and friend to everyone he runs into! Tim first joined Best Buddies at Pekin High School. From there, he joined the Bradley Best Buddies Friendship Chapter. Tim was awarded Illinois Jaycees Outstanding Young Person in 2022 for his advocacy AND was on Battle Bots on Discovery Channel this year. Tim Jackson
Champion Candidates Andrew has lived in Peoria for 5 years now, is very active in the Young Professionals Group, and works as a Physician Assistant at Prairie Spine and Pain Institute. Andrew has lived in Germany, loves collecting sports memorabilia, and supports groups like St. Jude and the Peoria Symphony Orchestra.
Andrew Kitterman Justin is the life of the party and is matched in the Bradley University Best Buddies Chapter. Justin loves playing video games, participating in Special Olympics, and lifting LOTS of weight at the House Barbell Club with Barbell Buddies! Justin works at CWTC and enjoys hanging out with friends.
Justin Parish
Andy works at Vonachen Group and has been known to dress as “Sappy Clause” at Crusens on War Drive. This former wrestler now leads the Buddy Bar Crawl on Farmington Road, which has taken place for 11 years on Memorial Day Weekend. Money raised at the Buddy Bar Crawl supports Best Buddies in Central Illinois! Andy Sappington David is the Creative Director at Maui Jim on Allen Rd. David is known for being a master gardener and for the delicious meals he hosts at his home, Randolph Terrace. His attention to detail and love of cooking make you want to eat your phone if his dishes pop up in your feed. David is a caring person who looks forward to matching David Stotz people with IDD in friendships with employees at Maui Jim. Malissa is a proud mom, dog mom, and a Quality Manager at BTD Manufacturing in Washington. After watching Blair Witch Project the day it was released in theaters, she was convinced it was real! Malissa believes that communities are their best when everyone is included no matter who they are, or their IDD. Malissa Watson Kenny is a husband, father, and owner of Diamond Medical Staffing. Kenny’s family members inspired him to be a Champion to support inclusion for them and others who have an IDD. When Kenny isn’t working, he’s networking at Chamber events or working to remodel the new home he purchased for his family. Kenny Wyatt
Thank you to our Committee Members Thank you for your commitment and helping our programs grow all year long! Jason Parkinson, Co-Chair
Travis Platt, Co-Chair
DJ4U
Whiskey Crawler Creative
Ashley Belamy, Sponsorship Chair The Yard
Stephanie Choan, Auction Chair Goodfield State Bank
Megan Cipola, Publicity Chair WMBD/WYZZ
Thank You To Our Sponsors
Thank ThankYou YouTo ToOur OurIn-Kind In Kind Sponsors Sponsors
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BEST BUDDIES THANKS YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF OUR MISSION OF INCLUSION!
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