Thursday, December 15, 2011 - TELUS provides $15,000 grant to Best Buddies - The Connection - Issue 15

The Connection - Your on-going link to Best Buddies Canada Issue 15 - Thursday December 15, 2011 Best Buddies gets early holiday gifts! Best Buddies Canada got an early holiday gift from the TELUS Vancouver Community Board. The company donated a $15,000 grant to the national volunteer program, money that will be used to help strengthen the program in the Vancouver area and across the country. West Vancouver Secondary students Natasha Hodgson, Anna Barton, Naomi Brown join Best Buddies program manager Amy Lynn Taylor and Phil Bates, of TELUS at the cheque presentation and holiday party. On Monday, Dec. 12, Students at West Vancouver Secondary School were joined by Phil Bates, Senior Vice President, Consumer Client Services, as they celebrated the holidays, inclusion and friendship with a holiday party. Bates presented the grant cheque to Best Buddies program manager Amy Lynn Taylor, and in turn was given a special Christmas ornament decorated by one of the chapter members. Read more about the TELUS donation. The Best Buddies club at Assumption Secondary School in Burlington received a donation from the Halton Regional Police Association. The Association donated $500 to the club, money that will be used to help organize a Christmas party and other events for the student club. Madison Worth and Jessica Forhan are co-presidents of the chapter. "This money will help us make our out-of-school events as low cost as possible for all our participants," said Worth. "We really appreciate the generous donation of the Halton Regional Police." Read more about their chapter.   What's in this Issue? Early Holiday Gift for Best Buddies Amazing recognition for our volunteers Best Buddies Scholarships are back Holiday Greeting for Best Buddies  Get your Winter Merchandise with great deals Qualify for free tickets to hockey games Community fundraiser supports our program Building on friendship back for a new year Speaking Opportunities available for Buddies  MLSE 50/50 Volunteers Needed A Hat Trick of Fun with the Ottawa Sens Foundation Amazing recognition for our volunteers It's no secret - Best Buddies volunteers are amazing people, and other groups are recognizing this. Along with their involvement in Best Buddies, our volunteers are also involved in so many other great programs and initiatives. Noah Severino, our chapter co-president at Almaguin Highlands Secondary School, in South River, Ontario, was recently appointed as an ambassador for the grand opening of Toronto’s new Ronald McDonald charity house.  Read more about his story. Meghan MacDonald with her award and Frank McKenna, former New Brunswick Premier and 2011 Humanitarian Award winner. - Photo reproduced with permission from Red Cross Meghan MacDonald, our chapter co-president at Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick, won the 2011 New Brunswick Red Cross Young Humanitarian Award for her amazing work with so many different volunteer organizations, including Best Buddies. Read more about Meghan.   Kathryn Gallant, the Chapter President at St. John Catholic High School in Perth, Ontario, was recently recognized for her outstanding volunteer work by the Perth and District Community Foundation. Along with leading the Best Buddies chapter at her school, Kathryn also volunteers with a number of other groups at her school and in her community. Read more about Kathryn Congratulations to all our amazing volunteers! Keep up the great work!  Knitting for Friendship Earler this year, Sandra Griffith, an employee at Moneris Solutions, mobilized her friends and contact to knit and sell scarves to help raise $1,350 for Best Buddies!  Thank you to Sandra and her friends! Don’t know what to buy your Best Buddy for Christmas? How about some great Best Buddies merchandise? Order now to get some amazing holiday deals.  Building on Friendship Starts up Another Year!  Last spring, Best Buddies launched its Building on Friendship pilot program in the Greater Toronto Area.   Building on Friendship is a leadership development program for Buddies and Peer Buddies who are motivated to set and accomplish a personal goal.  Students come up with meaningful goal that also challenges them to grow.  Along the way, students learn about their strengths and ways they contribute to their community.   Most importantly, this all happens in the company of others, as Buddies and Peer Buddies do this together.  They learn together, plan together and encourage each other to be the best they can be.   So far this year, Building on Friendship is up and running at 5 chapters in the Toronto area: Meadowvale Secondary, St. Jean de Brebeuf CSS, Francis Libermann CHS, North Toronto CI, and Father Michael Goetz CS!   Is your Greater Toronto Area chapter interested in joining?  Contact Chris Lee, Build Program Manager, at chris@bestbuddies.ca or call 416-531-0003 Motivated Buddies Wanted Are you a Buddy living in the Greater Toronto Area?  Do you love Best Buddies?  Do you want share your Best Buddies story with others?  If you answered yes to these questions, Best Buddies wants to hear from you!  We are looking for motivated people interested in public speaking to help us spread the word about Best Buddies.   Starting in 2012, Best Buddies will be offering special training sessions to selected participants.  To learn more about this opportunity, contact Chris Lee, Build Program Manager, at chris@bestbuddies.ca or call 416-531-0003. Best Buddies scholarships are back If you have made a significant contribution to your chapter, or to the Best Buddies program in general, you may be eligible for funds to support your education Best Buddies is delighted to once again provide the Best Buddies Scholarships for Outstanding Volunteers. At Best Buddies we understand the hard work and dedication made by our Student Buddies and recognize the central role they play to our program. To recognize the efforts of our exceptional volunteers we are offering scholarships to assist Student Buddies with their post-secondary education, open to students in their final year of high school and those already at university or college. The James Raymond Cowling University & College Scholarship of $1,000 will be awarded to a successful Student Buddy involved in a university or college chapter. The James Raymond Cowling High School Scholarship of $500, will be presented to a student buddy, in their final year of High School, preparing to begin post-secondary education. Apply or get more information. A Hat Trick of fun with the Ottawa Senators Our next Ottawa Senators game is Thursday, January 5th. Interested in volunteering?  Best Buddies in Ottawa has had a great start to the season with the Ottawa Senators! Our volunteers have been warmly welcomed to Scotiabank Place and dressed up in our official volunteer shirts. After mixing and mingling with 50/50 tickets in hand, we are provided with pizza for dinner before heading off to enjoy the game. Jonathan Perron-Clow says of his experience, "Helping Best Buddies was a great way of combining my love of hockey and helping out by selling tickets at a Sens game.  People are enthusiastic about getting the chance of winning a lot of money, but most are just happy to contribute to a cause.  It's also a great opportunity to raise awareness of what Best Buddies does to help out in the community.  And the free pizza afterwards is nice too!"   The NBA is back, and so are our 50/50 sales at the Toronto Raptors games! Our first Raptors game is Wednesday, January 4th. That's right! The Raptors are back, and Best Buddies is selling tickets at Toronto Raptors games from January to April. We are also selling tickets at Toronto  Maples Leafs games through the winter. A portion of the sales go to support the Best Buddies program. Participants sell tickets for the first part of the game (first two periods, or until half time) and get to watch the rest of the game from the press box, with pizza and snacks, and get to support Best Buddies in the process. See a full schedule of games and sign up. Free Tickets! Get your tickets! Do you want some free tickets? Who doesn’t? Thanks to our community partners, Best Buddies will occasionally have access to tickets to sporting or cultural events in the Toronto area, with requests to fill seats on short notice. If you are interested in being put on a short-list to receive these tickets, please email info@bestbuddies.ca. First dibs will be given to those people who are current members of our program and who volunteer with events outside of their chapter, such as 50/50 sales or organizing regional activities.                                   Happy Holidays from Best Buddies Canada .         $(TrackingImage) If you would like to unsubscribe: $(OptOutAll)

Thursday, November 03, 2011 - Kicking off another great year with Best Buddies - The Connection - Issue 14

The Connection - Your on-going link to Best Buddies Canada Issue 14 - Thursday November 3, 2011 Successful conferences kick off a great year! Best Buddies Canada has had another amazing start to the year! New chapters and new volunteers are helping bring our program to more people across our country, spreading friendship and inclusion to new schools and communities. This year, we had a huge kick-off with more than 400 students taking part in eight regional leadership conferences across the country. We had amazing speakers, awesome sessions and fantastic interest and energy from all our program participants. Check out our conference video. And a special thank you goes out to all our conference sponsors.    What's in this Issue? Successful conference starts year Grass-roots fundraiser in Calgary raises $2000 Important dates for the year International recognition for our chapters Qualify for free tickets to hockey games Check out our YouTube Videos Program growing in Manitoba Elementary program spreading across country Summer Build program spreads smiles 50/50 Volunteers Needed Best Buddies wins Care to Share award for September International recognition for our Best Buddies chapters During the 22nd Annual Best Buddies Leadership Conference, three of our chapters were recognized for their outstanding achievements: Evelyn Harrison Public School in London, West Vancouver Secondary School in Vancouver, British Columbia, and the University of Toronto – St. George Campus.   Read more about what makes these chapters so great! Manitoba quickly becoming a great Best Buddies province The Best Buddies program is experiencing a lot of growth and excitement in Manitoba! Grant Park High School, Sturgeon Height Collegiate and École/Collège régional Gabrielle-Roy are all great examples of how Manitoba is quickly becoming a passionate and dedicated Best Buddies province. Read more about the program’s growth in the Keystone Province.  Elementary program is providing new growth areas in East Coast Best Buddies is growing on the East Coast!  This past spring we began building on the success of the middle school and elementary school programs in Ontario, and opened new chapters at both the middle and elementary school levels in Fredericton, New Brunswick!  Nashwaaksis Middle School and Park Street Elementary School are the first on the East Coast in these new programs, and are both feeder schools for the Leo Hayes High School chapter in Fredericton.  Read more about the elementary and middle school program. If you want to see the introduction of the middle school program in your area, speak to your Program Manager/Co-ordinator.  Grass-roots fundraiser brings amazing results in Calgary Branden A family in Calgary organized an amazing fundraiser over the summer, collecting more than $2,000 to support the Best Buddies program. In April, Best Buddies sent out letters to a number of families, asking if they would be interested in organizing small community fundraisers. The Meunier family of Calgary responded in a big way. They organized a barbeque, invited friends and family, and 30 guests came together to support Best Buddies Brooke Meunier is a member of the Bishop O’Bryne chapter. She has a brother who has Down Syndrome, and a younger sister who will be attending Bishop O’Byrne in a couple of years. Brooke wants to make sure the program will be available when her sister gets to high school. “I very much enjoyed my experience through the program,” said Brooke “and wish for the students from our area to be able to have that as an option.” A big thank you goes out to the Meunier family for their hard work. If you are interested in organizing a similar grass-roots fundraiser in your community, let Best Buddies know.  . Spreading Smiles with the BUILD program On On Friday, August 26th, a crew of BUILD participants and BUILD Program Manager, Chris Lee, took to the streets of Toronto to bring smiles to people's faces.   During a week of exploring how to make our communities more inclusive, Aleena, Chandni, Kathleen, Jenny and Zarmina, brainstormed fun ways to promote Best Buddies and make a positive impact in other's lives. On a beautifully sunny day, we launched a simple yet brilliant ‘Smile Campaign’ upon the masses at the Eaton Centre and Dundas Square.  We had a blast! Giving out tonnes of smiles, compliments, Best Buddies stickers and receiving lots of smiles in return, these young Best Buddies leaders reminded everyone the big difference a friendly smile can make.   Check out some of the great videos from our events. Toronto Conference Students speaking at the Hamilton-Wentworth Public School Board Cardinal Newman CSS attends a Hamilton TiCats game If you have a video you want to share, let us know, or post it on YouTube and tag it with Best Buddies Canada! Free Tickets! Get your tickets! Do you want some free tickets? Who doesn’t? Thanks to our community partners, Best Buddies will occasionally have access to tickets to sporting or cultural events in the Toronto area, with requests to fill seats on short notice. If you are interested in being put on a short-list to receive these tickets, please email info@bestbuddies.ca. First dibs will be given to those people who are current members of our program and who volunteer with events outside of their chapter, such as 50/50 sales or organizing regional activities.   50/50 Volunteers needed In Toronto? Want to volunteer to sell 50/50 tickets at a Toronto Maple Leafs game, and get to see the Leafs play live? Best Buddies is looking for volunteers for the Toronto Leafs game on Tuesday, November 8th. The Leafs will face the Florida Panthers. The game starts at 7:00 pm, and volunteers should arrive at 5:00 pm at the Air Canada Centre. To volunteer, or for more information, email kayla@bestbuddies.ca.  Important Dates for the year Mark your calendars with some of Best Buddies’ exciting events for the year. Evening of Friendship - November 18th, 2011 – YMCA Central Toronto Read All About It – March 3rd, 2012 – locations across Canada Stay tuned for more exciting Best Buddies events!.                                 Best Buddies receives AtlasCare's Care to Share award for September Every month, under the Care to Share program, AtlasCare will donate $1,000 to one charity located in either Toronto, Mississauga, Oakville, or any place within the AtlasCare service area. For September, Best Buddies Canada was the receipient. Our Executive Director, Steven Pinnock, went down to Meadowvale Secondary School in Mississauga to accept the cheque from Atlas Care representatives Roger Grochmal, President and CBO, and Michael Grochmal.         $(TrackingImage) If you would like to unsubscribe: $(OptOutAll)

Thursday, July 07, 2011 - Presenting our Best Buddies scholarship winners - The Connection - Issue 13

Issue 13 Thursday July 7, 2011 Meet the 2011 James Raymond Cowling Best Buddies scholarship winners! As a way of recognizing the outstanding work of our many volunteers, Best Buddies established two scholarships for high school and university chapter members.   Volunteers from across Canada submitted applications to demonstrate their commitment to Best Buddies, and the work they did to strengthen their chapter, take part in Best Buddies regional events, and fundraise for chapter events. The calibre of applications was very high making the selection process very difficult.   Two volunteers, Kim Higgins and Francesca Lombardo, received the James Raymond Cowling Scholarships. In addition to the scholarship winners, three other students stood out from the rest in demonstrating the impact they have had on Best Buddies in their school and community, and are deserving of recognition for their special contributions: Roger Hudson, Laura Barwin and Brandi Kapell. Read more about our winners and their amazing contribution to the Best Buddies program and their communities.   What's in this Issue? Scholarship winners announced Best Buddies Canada job opportunities Get Free Tickets to an amazing hockey experience Awesome success stories form our chapters Searching for Chapter Presidents Participate in Building on Friendship Summer Program  5th Annual Thrill of Ascot a hit 50/50 Volunteers Needed High school volunteer inspired to launch program at her university in BC interior. “There are no disabilities between people when everyone is having fun.” A recent article in the Kamloops Daily News opened with that stirring line. The article focused on students from Valleyview Secondary School involved in the Best Buddies program. Among those featured was Rizalee Castillo, who was involved in the Best Buddies chapter Valleyview Secondary School, until she graduated. When she arrived at Thompson Rivers University, she was surprised there were no Best Buddies at the university, so she decided to start one! Read more about the success of Best Buddies in Kamloops.    Saunders Buddy Pair selected as Prom King and Queen An an amazing example of inclusion at work, two of our buddies from Londong, Scott Mitchell and Valerie Nyhout were elected as Saunders Secondary School's Prom King and Queen. To thank the school the pair baked 400 cupcakes for people at the school. "Everyone knows Scott and Val and they know everyone so well. They're so much fun to be around. They deserved it for sure" said Katie Murray, Scott's buddy. Read more.    Becoming buddies for life in Winnipeg In May, the Winnipeg Free Press focused on the expansion of Best Buddies in the city. Scott Beattie is a student volunteer. He said his school, Sturgeon Heights Collegiate, requires students to do volunteerism, but that's not why he joined Best Buddies or why he has stayed. "I thought this was an awesome way to do it because it can benefit people," he said. "And you can keep it going to have it be more meaningful. I've done other volunteer things, but this has been the most enjoyable." Read more.   Student a strong leader in community & on the soccer pitch! Branden Domm is a member of the Southwood Secondary School Best Buddies chapter, and a star soccer player. He won the Tim Walker Award, for the Waterloo County soccer player who is an exemplary citizen of his school and displayed skill, dedication and sportsmanship. Branden was inspired by his brother, Colin, who has Down syndrome, who has the soccer team’s manager and always stayed committed to the game. Read more. Acadia University student highlights importance of volunteering Emily Fraser, a student buddy from the Acadia University chapter of Best Buddies was recently featured in the Metro Newspapers' work section. In her piece, Emily spoke about difficulties finding enriching summer employment. But, she reminded students, you can gain valuable experience by volunteering with local organizations, especially organizations like Best Buddies Canada. Thanks for the shout out Emily! Read her article here.  Toronto FC 50/50 volunteers needed In Toronto? Want to volunteer to sell 50/50 tickets at a Toronto FC game, and get to see some great soccer action? Best Buddies is looking for volunteers for the Toronto FC game on Saturday, August 27th. The Toronto FC will face the San Jose Earthquakes. The game starts at 7:00 pm, and volunteers should show up at 5:00 pm at BMO Field. To volunteer, or for more information, email kayla@bestbuddies.ca. 5th Annual Thrill of Ascot a great success! On Saturday, June 18th, more than 250 people came to the Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto to celebrate Best Buddies and enjoy the thrill of races and amazing fashion in our homage to the Royal Ascot.   Guests were greeted by event MC Rosey Edeh and heard the story of Naomi Epp and Chantel Silvera, a buddy pair from Parkside High School in Dundas (featured in our last issue) Thanks to the dedication and support of our donors, we were able to raise more than $175,000 to support the Best Buddies programs! Special thanks to the event chairs, John Elwood, Tammy Oram and Deb Robinson. See photos from the great event!   Job opportunities with Best Buddies Best Buddies Canada has full and part time working and volunteer opportunities in the following cities: Ottawa London Montreal Winnipeg Please send your resume to info@bestbuddies.ca if you are interested. Free Tickets for Exhibition Hockey Game available!  Best Buddies has received a generous donation of tickets for an exhibition hockey game which will be overseen by NHL veteran Gary Roberts and coached by two NHL players. The game is on August 6th and will be held at the Hersey Centre arena in Mississauga. This could be a fun way to catch up with your buddy over the summer. If you’re interested in tickets, please contact Gemma at gemma@bestbuddies.ca by Monday, July 11th.   Building on Friendship Do you want to further develop your leadership skills, while building new friendships? Best Buddies is seeking energetic participants for the Summer 2011 version of its new ‘Building on Friendship’ pilot program, which we are currently running in select high schools in the Greater Toronto Area. Through a combination of fun and engaging activities, participants will explore and answer some essential questions: Who am I? What are my strengths? What are my hopes and goals? What is community? The program is open to participants both with and without intellectual disabilities, and is a great opportunity to build leadership skills and learn more about yourself and your community.                               ------ If you live in the GTA and are interested in learning more about these exciting new programs, please contact Chris Lee at 416-531-0003 or chris@bestbuddies.ca     Chapter Presidents needed! This fall there are Best Buddies leadership positions open at a number university and college chapters. Being a Best Buddies Chapter President is a great way to develop your leadership skills, enhance your resume, and make a difference to the lives of people both with and without intellectual disabilities. If you, or anyone you know, will be attending one of the schools below, and would be interested in finding out more about leading the chapter, please contact Best Buddies Canada at info@bestbuddies.ca. Glendon College (Toronto, ON) Humber College – North Campus (Toronto, ON) Saint Mary's University (Halifax, NS) University of Prince Edward Island (Charlottetown, PE ) University of New Brunswick-Saint John (Saint John, NB) University of Toronto - Mississauga (Mississauga, ON) Redeemer University College (Ancaster, ON) Charles Sturt University (Burlington, ON) Emmanuel Bible College (Kitchener, ON) Confederation College (Thunder Bay, ON) Conestoga College (Kitchener, ON) Best Buddies is running in over 250 schools across Canada. If you are attending a school in the fall which does not have a Best Buddies chapter, please contact the Best Buddies head office and we can work with you to establish one.             $(TrackingImage) If you would like to unsubscribe: $(OptOutAll)

Wednesday, May 25, 2011 - Introducing new Best Buddies programs - The Connection - Issue 12

Issue 12 Thursday May 25, 2011 On the move in Halifax - Friends in Motion a great success On April 30, 2011 more than 100 runners, student buddies, buddies, family and friends came out to support Best Buddies in Halifax.  Friends in Motion was emceed by Will Brewer, buddy from the Mount Saint Vincent University chapter.  He rounded everyone up at the finish line and enthusiastically sent all the runners off on the cool, overcast day.  This first time event for Halifax raised more than $4200 to help support local Best Buddies chapters. Many participants had never heard of the program before, making it a great awareness building event. Read more What's in this Issue? Friends in Motion Halifax a hit Best Buddies Introducing two great new programs An Amazing Year in Brantford Seeking Chapter Presidents Nicholson CP is Volunteer of the Year Parkside CP wins Soroptimist Award  Have you registered for the conference? 50/50 Volunteers Needed Wilfrid Laurier Brantford Celebrates an amazing year with a trip to Medieval Times The chapter at Wilfrid Laurier – Brantford had an amazing year! Don't believe us? Think about this: the chapter started in 2009 with 7 matches, now there are 21 matches, with 42 participants in total and there are now students waiting to be paired with buddies! The chapter executive grew from one single executive member to four members/successors for next year. The chapter is now a recognized club through the student union, enabling it to receive support, funds and recognition for our buddy matches and students. Through three fund-raising efforts, the chapter raised $1,600! To celebrate this success, the chapter decided to attend a show at Medieval Times in Toronto on Friday April 29th. Amy Griffith (pictured with her buddy Dave Clarkson) provided more details about this great trip and the chapter's success. Read more.    Nicholson chapter leader named school board's volunteer of the year The Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board has named Sarah Letersky, a Grade 11 student at Nicholson Catholic College in Belleville, its 2011 Secondary Student Volunteer of the Year. Along with being co-president of the schools' chapter, Sarah is a dedicated member of this year’s Student Council and has taken a lead in the planning and execution of numerous fundraising ventures. Sarah is an active member of the Social Justice Club and volunteers to tutor students from St. Michael’s School after school hours. This summer Sarah will attend training to be a student volunteer leader at the annual Student Leadership Conference and will also be participating in the Jamaica Mission Trip next March break. She is a member of the Eco Team and is inclusive in her approach to community, believing as a young Catholic disciple the imperative to pass this faith and hope on to others around her. Keep up the great work Sarah!   Parkside Chapter President recognized for her hard work! Naomi Epp has been a stellar leader for the Best Buddies program at Parkside High School in Dundas. After launching the program last year, while only in grade nine, Naomi has worked to strengthen her chapter. Recently, Naomi's hard work was recognized by the Dundas-Ancaster-Flamborough Soroptimist Club.   Read more about her experience    Toronto FC 50/50 volunteers needed In Toronto? Want to volunteer to sell 50/50 tickets at a Toronto FC game, and get to see some great soccer action? Best Buddies is looking for volunteers for the Toronto FC game on Saturday, June 18th. The Toronto FC will face the Seattle Sounders. The game starts at 7:00 pm, and volunteers should show up at 5:00 pm at BMO Field. To volunteer, or for more information, email kayla@bestbuddies.ca. Have you registered for the conference yet? The school year is nearly done, and your chapters are wrapping up, but that means it's time to get ready for next year! The Best Buddies conference is less than four months away! You may have missed the early bird rates, but you can still register! We hope delegates from every chapter can attend! Registration rates increase after July 15th.     Conference dates and locations: Vancouver - September 10th       Regina - September 17th         Winnipeg - September 17th   Toronto - September 10th-11th     Ottawa - September 10th        Montreal - September 18th   Fredericton - September 17th          Halifax - September 10th  Best Buddies introducing two great new programs Building on Friendship Do you want to further develop your leadership skills, while building new friendships? Best Buddies is seeking energetic participants for the Summer 2011 version of its new ‘Building on Friendship’ pilot program, which we are currently running in select high schools in the Greater Toronto Area. Through a combination of fun and engaging activities, participants will explore and answer some essential questions: Who am I? What are my strengths? What are my hopes and goals? What is community? The program is open to participants both with and without intellectual disabilities, and is a great opportunity to build leadership skills and learn more about yourself and your community. Ambassador Program This summer, Best Buddies is launching a new program to support adults with intellectual disabilities develop skills to become an advocate for themselves. The Buddy Ambassador Program aims to work with Buddies to improve their public-speaking skills, and their confidence in being an advocate for themselves, their community and Best Buddies. Upon completion of the program, participants will earn the title of Buddy Ambassador.   To be eligible for the Buddy Ambassador program all you need to be is a willing participant and have a strong interest in public speaking and undergo an interview process.                               ------ If you live in the GTA and are interested in learning more about these exciting new programs, please contact Chris Lee at 416-531-0003 or chris@bestbuddies.ca     Chapter Presidents needed! This fall there are Best Buddies leadership positions open at a number university and college chapters. Being a Best Buddies Chapter President is a great way to develop your leadership skills, enhance your resume, and make a difference to the lives of people both with and without intellectual disabilities. If you, or anyone you know, will be attending one of the schools below, and would be interested in finding out more about leading the chapter, please contact Best Buddies Canada at info@bestbuddies.ca. Glendon College (Toronto, ON) Humber College – North Campus (Toronto, ON) Saint Mary's University (Halifax, NS) University of Prince Edward Island (Charlottetown, PE ) University of New Brunswick-Saint John (Saint John, NB) Redeemer University College (Ancaster, ON) Charles Sturt University (Burlington, ON) Emmanuel Bible College (Kitchener, ON) Confederation College (Thunder Bay, ON) Conestoga College (Kitchener, ON) Best Buddies is running in over 250 schools across Canada. If you are attending a school in the fall which does not have a Best Buddies chapter, please contact the Best Buddies head office and we can work with you to establish one.             $(TrackingImage) If you would like to unsubscribe: $(OptOutAll)

Thursday, April 14, 2011 - Celebrate National Volunteer week with the Best Buddies Connection - Issue 11

Issue 11 Thursday April 14, 2011 Honouring our Volunteers! National Volunteer Week is April 10-16 We are in the midst of National Volunteer Week (April 10-16), and Best Buddies would like to take the time to thank you, our incredible volunteers who work so hard to make our program work. Did you know we have more than 5,000 volunteers involved in our program across the country? Each participant in the program volunteers their time to help create inclusion and accomodation, and most of all, make our communities better for everyone. So, sometime this week, take the opportunity to give yourself a pat on the back, and check out our newsletter to read some stories about some of our other amazing volunteers. What's in this Issue? Celebrating National Volunteer Week A Thank You to our 50/50 Volunteers Conference Registration is Open! Regina Archbishop visits chapter Another great Read All About It event  Having fun with the chapters  A big thank you for all our 50/50 volunteers Best Buddies would like to thank everyone who have participated in our 50/50 program so far this school year. Since September, with the help of our volunteers we have raise funds by selling 50/50 tickets at a total of 29 Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, and Toronto Raptors games. This money supports our chapters through start-up funds, chapter event funding, the Annual Leadership Conference and Chapters/Indigo gift cards. Two sets of our volunteers also shared their stories about volunteering at Toronto Raptors games.     Regina Archbishop honours staff and students role in Best Buddies program On Monday, March 21st, 2011 the Dr. Martin LeBoldus chapter gathered together during last period to thank a great volunteer, Joanne Gelowitz, with the help of a special guest, the Most Reverend Daniel J. Bohan, Archbishop of Regina. Read more.   It’s a Slam Dunk for the Nicholson Catholic College Chapter! Sometimes the best group activities are the simplest. Nicholson Buddy Casey Moore is an avid basketball fan. He was the inspiration for the chapter’s latest group activity – a basketball day! The school’s entire basketball team and coach came out on a Saturday to help the Nicholson chapter members brush up on their dribbling and shooting skills. Read more. The event was a lot of fun for the chapter, as well as for the basketball team. Says Sarah, “The boys were very impressed with the Best Buddies program and a few were even interested in receiving information on how to join.” A great way to involve the greater school community in the Best Buddies chapter!   Port Moody makes great dough selling Krispy Kreme snack The student buddies and buddies at Port Moody Secondary spent time together over the Christmas 2010 holiday break to celebrate their BB chapter.  As an ambitious group, they decided to hold a Krispy Kreme fundraiser. They went around and actively sold doughnuts in their community and raised $322.50!  But instead of keeping the profit for themselves, they decided as a chapter to graciously donate the funds back to Best Buddies Canada.  They know that the money will go to good use helping not only their school Best Buddies chapter, but other local schools in the community and in BC.  . Another great Read All About It event across Canada On Saturday, March 5th buddy pairs from across the country joined the celebration. Read All About It 2011 was bigger and better than ever! Over 1,100 Best Buddies chapter members attended at 16 locations across the country. Read more about the event, and check out great pictures from across the country. As part of the Chapters/Indigo Read All About It! event, this year buddies in Halifax competed in a poetry competition.  Buddy Jillian Arthur of the Mount Saint Vincent University chapter in Halifax won the competition this year for her poem Sparkling Lights and Stars and the Pretty Moon.  Congratulations for an outstanding poem, Jillian!.  Live, Learn, Lead through the Best Buddies Conferences. Every year Best Buddies invites its chapter leadership teams to attend our Leadership and Development Conferences. Live, Learn, Lead. These are goals to take through life. As someone involved in Best Buddies, we want you to take the mission of our program and make it a part of your life. More than that, we want you to inspire others to become involved, leading them to create more inclusive communities for everyone. Registration for our conferences is now open. Be sure to register early to qualify for early-bird rates. Conference dates and locations: Vancouver - September 10th Regina - September 17th Winnipeg - September 17th Toronto - September 10th-11th Ottawa - September 10th Montreal - September 18th Fredericton - September 17th Halifax - September 10th Do you have a story you want to share with participants across Canada? Did your chapter have a great event, or do you want to focus on the great work and dedication of a volunteer? Send your stories and photos to rob@bestbuddies.ca. Lisez pour l'amitié! Par Marie-Josée Guindon Le samedi 5 mars, c’est en bravant les pluies torrentielles qu’une douzaine d’élèves de l’école De La Salle se sont rendus au magasin Chapter’s de la rue Rideau afin de participer au grand rassemblement régional de Vrais Copains.             $(TrackingImage) If you would like to unsubscribe: $(OptOutAll)