by WILLOW SYMONDS
Staff Writer
Best Buddies International will host a Friendship Walk on Saturday, April 23 at the Detroit Zoo. This is their 13th annual walk in Michigan.
On April 23, walkers can check-in at the Detroit Zoo in Royal Oak at 8:00am and watch the opening ceremonies at 8:30am. The official Friendship Walk starts at 9:00am, and the celebration lasts until noon.
Best Buddies International is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping physically and mentally disabled individuals succeed, and they host Friendship Walks in 24 states every year. They also have over 7,000 chapters in middle and high schools across the country, and some colleges have their own Best Buddies club, including WCC.
Every year, the Friendship Walk brings over 40,000 supporters together. These supporters form “teams” and register on the website beforehand. Individuals can either create or join a team, pick their t-shirt size, and choose to donate money.
The funds each team raises go to Best Buddies International so they can continue their work, such as developing jobs for those with IDD (Intellectual Development Disorder) and training Buddy Ambassadors. The organization has 15,000 Buddy Ambassadors and has created 3,800 jobs for IDD individuals.
Washtenaw Community College’s team plans to raise at least $2,000, and have already reached 5% of their goal. Best Buddies International as a whole has raised almost $30,000 for their $45,000 goal.
Caitlin Fokken, a Health Care Foundations major, became the Vice President of WCC’s Best Buddies club in September. She encourages all students to walk on Saturday, whether they’re a club member or not.
“I learned so much from this club,” said Fokken. “The friendships, the experiences and the smiles that we put on faces mean more than anything!”
This will be Fokken’s third time participating in the Friendship Walk. She appreciates that Best Buddies supplies food, live music, and speakers. Participants dance, meet people, and of course, walk for a cause.
