14 FEATURE
WALKING TOGETHER
Best Buddies program holds Friendship Walk; spreads awareness about inclusion, acceptance BY MARY MARCINEK reporter
Friendship plays a big part in most people’s lives, and this is especially prevalent in the lives of the members of the Best Buddies club. Best Buddies is a worldwide organization that revolves around promoting inclusiveness for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Across the world, several chapters of the organization host an annual Friendship Walk. This annual fundraiser is a way to raise awareness for the club’s cause, while also providing a fun and memorable experience for all members. Due to COVID-19, the Friendship Walk looks different for many of the organization chapters this year. “Some (chapters) are doing car parades, and some (chapters) are going virtually, but since we have such a large number in Lake County, and especially (in) Crown Point, we were told that we could actually have a walk,” CPHS Best Buddies sponsor Liz Hanlon said. On April 25, CPHS shared the school’s track with chapters from Eisenhower, MacArthur, Jerry Ross and Winfield Elementary to hold the annual walk. To members of the Best Buddies program, like sophomore Alex Baron, this is much more than just a fundraiser. She notes on why the walk was important to her and her buddy. “I feel like it’s a great way to celebrate the friendships that we’ve built throughout the year,” Baron said.
Students, staff and guardians from some of the elementary schools and the high school huddle together around a banner with the Best Buddies logo on it after taking part in the Best Buddies Friendship Walk and fundraiser. PHOTO BY NOLAN CHASE
Baron and her buddy Roenik Peters were chosen to give a speech about their friendship to attendees at the walk. Hanlon sees the pair as a perfect embodiment of what Best Buddies is all about. “I got an email from (Peters’) mother one time telling me what a wonderful buddy Alex is, the wonderful things she has done and how much (Peters) adores her,” Hanlon said. Hanlon says that hearing from parents is very special to her because she believes that all parents really want for their chil-
dren is to be happy, and she believes that Best Buddies helps to make that possible for these kids. “I think many kids take their friendships for granted. You don’t think about it, but it happens, and all your parents want for you is to be happy, have friends, be able to socialize and know people,” Hanlon said. “For our kids with intellectual disabilities, it’s hard for them to make friends, so Best Buddies just brings friendship and acceptance for everybody. That’s the whole mission of this program: inclusion and ac-
