Best Buddies Annual Halloween Party

Our BB annual Halloween party last Wednesday was a huge success! There was socializing, a cake walk, face painting, a pinata, dancing, a costume contest, root beer, tons of candy and lots of fun! Thank you SO much to the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity here at Utah State University for hosting the party and for all their help! 

Now for some pictures!

THIS WEDNESDAY!

This Wednesday is our annual Best Buddies Halloween Party! It is at 6pm at the Sig Ep house. You won't want to miss all the fun that will be had! The night will include treats, a cake walk, games, dancing, a costume contest, (so, don't forget to dress up) face painting and other fun activities. See you there! 

Buddy Post-Landon and Devon

Here's a little info about one of our amazing buddy pairs, Landon and Devon.

Devon and Landon have been buddies for a year and enjoy playing billiards, attending "game nights", and bowling. Nicknames include, but are not limited to: "mud", "four eyes", "eight eyes", "two eyes", "turkey lips", "turkey legs", "Big D", and "Devonskiis". Devon loves to answer the phone as Mrs. Doubtfire, speaking in a high voice. A famous Devon quote is "Life ain't no fun if you can't tease!"

Common Ground Outdoor Adventures

Have you heard of Common Ground Outdoor Adventures here in Logan? Well they rock! Common Ground's mission statement is "to provide life-enhancing outdoor recreational opportunities for youth and adults with disabilities. [They] provide adaptive equipment and support, which enable people with disabilities to participate in outdoor recreation alongside their peers. These experiences reduce stereotypes, raise awareness, and empower people to realize their full potential. [Their] trips are not only accessible physically but also financially."

To learn more about Common Ground Outdoor Adventures, find out what's on the Common Ground calendar for the month, donate, and or volunteer with this incredible program etc. visit their website at http://www.cgadventures.org/ 

Our New Best Buddies Utah State Director!

BBUT is excited to share with you that Julie Arthur has accepted the Best Buddies Utah State Director position.  Julie comes to Best Buddies with a successful career in sales and marketing and a lifetime of volunteer fundraising experience. Julie has worked with the York Area Down Syndrome Association, American Diabetes Association and Kiwanis/Circle K International. As a non-native community volunteer in Pennsylvania, Julie created a team that raised more money than any other local special needs fundraising event in York County and helped launch a cheerleading program for youth with IDD. After her family’s move to Utah 2 years ago, she jumped in with both feet into the disability community and chaired the Second Annual Walk with Angels for children with disabilities, setting a large goal that more than doubled the amount the committee believed they could raise.

  As a mother of a 13-year-old child with Down Syndrome, Julie is a passionate advocate for rights and opportunities for people with cognitive disabilities. She is very excited about the opportunities for Best Buddies in Utah, because in her words, “I am painfully aware of the loneliness that can occur when our children reach school age, then teenage and adult years. But I am also a witness to the amazing transformation that occurs when we enable our children to live out their dreams and ambitions, included in daily life, in social and recreational activities and given educational and employment opportunities. I have heard time and again how my child, and others with similar (dis)abilities, has enriched the lives of ‘typical’ children and adults in class, on the playground, at work and in the community.” It is this personal connection that fuels Julie’s enthusiasm for our mission and her determination to “take the amazing and growing program that is Best Buddies Utah to new heights”.

We are really glad to have Julie as part of the BBUT team!