While on a college visit to Western Kentucky University, during the fall of 2015, alum and Derek DiStefano learned about a club to foster inclusion for students with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD) This club is Best Buddies, a global organization that creates communication opportunities and friendships between students with IDD and their peers.

One year later, DiStefano’s vision has become a reality, with 25 students participating in the program, which currently meets once a month.

“Students with IDD are given the opportunity to have a genuine relationship with another student their age, outside of their regular SSD classes. With the help of Best Buddies, these friendships are a reality for many with IDD,” sophomore, and Best Buddies vice president Tim McAuliffe said.

The club is able to function with the aid of seven different officer positions. These officers help the club run smoothly as well as setting an example for others in the club, and the community.

“We had around 15 people apply for an officer position. Currently, we have a President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary as our main board. We also decided to start separate committees for social media and fundraising as well since there was a lot of interest in those positions,” senior and Best Buddies secretary, Ann Rapp said.

Officers for the club attended a Best Buddies Leadership Conference over the summer at Indiana University and learned how to teach their peers to be more understanding of those with IDD.

“The leadership conference was an amazing time, it was a time to be exposed to everyone in the Best Buddies organization from peer buddies, which are students like me, to buddies which are students with IDD. I got to listen to the inspiring creator of the organization, Anthony Kennedy Shriver, who was John F. Kennedy’s nephew,” McAuliffe said.

At the conference, officers learned how to run the club, communicate with people with an IDD, and meet people from around the world that share the same goal of inclusion.

The conference also offered opportunities to observe other successful chapters who grew with the help of their school and local communities.

“The club hopes to make connections with local organizations to get events planned and find sponsorship, so we can establish ourselves so that the club continues long after the senior officers graduate,” Rapp said.

Through the development of the club, Best Buddies strives to positively influence the lives of the buddy, the student with IDD, and the peer buddy, the student without IDD.

“I think it’s so valuable to have a relationship with students with IDD, not only for them but for you, yourself. It helps you be able to work with all kinds of people,” sophomore and peer buddy, Caroline WIlliams said.

On Sunday, Oct. 23 Best Buddies will be hosting a “Match Day” party at Theis Farm from 2-4 p.m. Each buddy is matched with the aid of an online survey, and personal interview from a Best Buddies officer.

“We’re going to have puzzle pieces where students have to go around the area and find their match. From that meeting forward, buddies will contact each other once a week and once a month we will participate in large group activities,” Rapp said.

One of the goals for Best Buddies this school year is to remove the stigma and seclusion surrounding people with IDD and to help the community grow into a more inclusive and empathetic school.

“Best Buddies helps me understand that not everyone is the same and that’s okay. With the help of this club, students with IDD can realize that there are people their age that care about them, not only their parents or their TA. There is a community that cares about their well-being,” Williams said.