My name is Amy Griffith and this is my first year as a student buddy through the Best Buddies program. I am a third year student at Wilfrid Laurier University in Brantford, in Honours Contemporary Studies in Children’s Education and Development, studying to become an elementary school teacher.

I first heard about the Best Buddies program through a Facebook group created by our Campus Coordinator. I had had some experience with both children and adults with exceptionalities and was excited to get started. I was paired with a 23 year old man (but really a kid at heart) named Dave Clarkson.

It was clear early on that we had been paired for our love of being active and participating in sports. Upon meeting Dave and his wonderful, supportive family for the first time, I felt absolutely welcome and comfortable with this new friendship. Dave is in training for the Special Olympics, so we spend most of our time together swimming on Wednesday evenings for an hour, working on strokes and skills in order to give him a competitive edge at his swim meets. We are hoping the weather will warm up soon so that we can run to prepare Dave for the Special Olympics track meets, as well as prepare myself to be his sponsor runner for a 10KM race in May.

My time spent with Dave is not only fun and enjoyable, but also rewarding and eye-opening. Dave is such an exceptional individual that I believe can do absolutely anything he wants one day, and I know that he won’t let anyone get in his way. I admire his family’s perseverance in dealing with obstacles put before their son, and feel so privileged they have let me into their lives in order to become a part of them. 

Dave and I are in the midst of setting up a video game marathon one weekend, an event that I will surely lose, but am willing to do so to spend time with my friend.

- Amy Griffith