Walking towards inclusivity

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Best Buddies hosted their annual Friendship Walk at Nova Southeastern University Saturday, April 30. Best Buddies is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of people with intellectual and physical disabilities. Each year they host their Friendship Walk to promote inclusivity and acceptance. From catering food to hiring a DJ, Best Buddies went above and beyond to ensure that the walk was a success; it was, and the organization raised over $120,000 in donations. These donations will go towards expanding Best Buddies programs in the area that help increase employment opportunities for those with disabilities.

Despite the rainy forecast, members still enjoyed walking through the university. For junior Brian Fadel, the unexpected rain made the walk more fun. “Instead of just letting the rain ruin the plans, everyone pushed through it while laughing and joking along the way. I even saw friends jumping in and splashing each other with water” he said. (Photos/Irene John and Alexandra Stahlschmidt)

From hanging out with friends to kicking it on the dance floor, Best Buddies members had plenty of activities to keep them occupied. Aside from enjoying the walk, club members also raised a fair amount of money. Together, AHS and Archbishop McCarthy — the two schools have a history of working together — raised over $3500. (Photos/Gabriella Ciotti, Benjamin Huberman, Alex Neuman)

In addition to the food and music, there were also numerous fun activities like a bouncy castle, rock climbing wall and trampoline. “They had so many different activities and it made it so much more exciting. After the walk, we could cool down by hanging out at the rock wall or trampoline.” (Photos/Irene John)

Irene, now a senior at American Heritage, returns to staff as the Online-Editor-in-Chief for her third and final year with the Patriot Post. She loves all things literature and spends most of her time with her nose in a book. Her passion for writing started early, and she is currently the co-president of the Quill and Scroll Society. When she is not studying or writing articles for the wonderful iPatriotPost, she enjoys volunteering and helping lead a multitude of clubs at Heritage. Since 2014, she has worked alongside Best Buddies, an organization that advocates for inclusivity for those with intellectual and physical disabilities. As a co-founder and current board member of the South Florida Best Buddies Student Advisory Board, she plans fundraisers and service projects, including the annual Friendship Walk, which raised almost $300,000. She looks forward to making this year special and as amazing as possible.