This eight-week philanthropic competition for Best Buddies Southwest Florida celebrates Best Buddies’ participants and community leaders throughout the Southwest Florida area who have been nominated as “Champions.” Their joint goal is to increase awareness for the mission of Best Buddies while simultaneously raising funds to sustain our programs. Concluding the eight-week campaign, all candidates and their mission partners are being honored tonight at the Champion of the Year Gala. The Champion candidate who raises the most donations, surpassing all rivals in the competition, will take home the Crown of Inclusion and title of Grand Champion for 2021. Funds raised by the Champions and proceeds from the Gala will directly benefit the local programs of Best Buddies Southwest Florida to create more friendships for students and adults, develop leadership opportunities, and open new programs for hundreds of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities within the Southwest Florida Community. Thank you for supporting our Champion of the Year gala!
Melanie Musick Area Director, Best Buddies Southwest Florida All donations are tax-deductible under all Florida laws of tax deductible donations for 501(c)(3) organizations.
Mission Best Buddies International is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to -one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development and inclusive living for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
Who We Serve The IDD Community that Best Buddies serves includes, but is not limited to, people with Down syndrome, autism, fragile X syndrome, Williams syndrome, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury and other undiagnosed disabilities.
Programs Best Buddies programs sit on the four key mission pillars below:
Best Buddies 2021 Featured Buddy Pair NICOLE CORATTI & JENNIFER DENIKE
“We’re More Alike than Different” Nicole and Jennifer are two Best Buddies participants who are the very first one-to-one friendship match through the adult Citizens program. Nikki and Jenny, as they lovingly refer to each other, are just as happy staying home enjoying a cup of coffee together as they are participating in Best Buddies get-togethers that have been mostly via zoom. Their friendship has blossomed over time...they have learned that they each have something to teach the other, as well as something to learn from the other. What they have discovered is: they’re more alike than different. Many thanks to Marty Wisher of Starlight Productions for video production.
Circle of CHAMPIONS Best Buddies will be forever grateful for all friends whom have previously accepted the Champion challenge.
Ken Coker, 2019 Grand Champion
Steve Bray Ken Coker (2019) Susan Christiano Nicole Corrati Mark Drew Tim Dupre Dale Earp Amy Gaziano Alina Gonzalez-Dockery
James Hunter Jenna Maringione Andy Minoie Derek Newborn David Oliver Elizabeth Salazar Carrie Ann Texter (2020) Stormy Wilder
Carrie Ann Texter, 2020 Grand Champion with Mission Partner Lauren Nossen
How Donations = Programmatic Support
$5,000
$3,000
$2,500
Gift of Friendship
Party With A Purpose
Training Day
Bring together people with and without IDD for friendships that cultivate community-wide social inclusion by funding a new school, citizens or corporate chapter in the Best Buddies Friendship program.
Create a magical evening where buddy pairs celebrate and have fun at the Best Buddies Friendship Ball, similar to a prom for our middle school, high school and college members.
Fund an Ambassador training session for up to 50 people with and without IDD, giving them the public speaking skills to champion for inclusion throughout Southwest Florida.
$1,000 Prepare Future Advocates Give a student leader, Ambassador, or Faculty Advisor the opportunity to attend the annual Best Buddies Leadership Conference, where they will learn to advocate for themselves and the IDD community.
$100
$350
$250
Gift of Chapter Dues
It’s A Match!
Help alleviate a high school or college chapter of its $350 annual dues which provides a library of online resources, membership management program, use of the Best Buddies name and logo, and liability insurance.
Support a one-to-one friendship between someone with IDD and his or her peer, helping to build a mutually enriching connection that enhances the lives of program participants and their families.
$50
You’ve Got Mail!
Prep For Success
Fund an online e-Buddies friendship between a person with and a person without IDD. The “e-pal” program allows participants to become more social and technology-literate, which may lead to more advanced career opportunities.
Provide an hour of job coaching, where an employment candidate with IDD has the opportunity to practice interview skills, prepare for job readiness, or receive on-the-job support so he or she can excel in a new placement.
$25 Teach Inclusion At An Early Age Supply instruction for interactive activities, lesson plans and tool kits for school students in a Best Buddies chapter so that they can learn about acceptance and inclusion at a young age.
Southwest Florida School Programs COLLEGES Florida Gulf Coast University HIGH SCHOOLS Barron Collier High Cape Coral High Fort Myers High Ida Baker High Lely High Riverdale High MIDDLE SCHOOLS Bonita Springs Middle Ctr for Arts Caloosa Middle Cypress Lake Middle Manatee Middle The Sanibel School Varsity Lakes Middle ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS Babcock Neighborhood School Gulf Elementary Hector Cafferata Elementary Lehigh Elementary Rayma C. Page Elementary Tortuga Preserve Elementary
Florida Southwestern State College
Bonita Springs High Estero High Gulf Coast High Lehigh Senior High Naples High Venice High Brookside Middle Corkscrew Middle Gateway Charter Intermed. North Naples Middle Three Oaks Middle
Diplomat Elementary Hancock Creek Elementary James Stephens Internat’l Aca. Manatee Elementary Skyline Elementary Veterans Park Ctr for Arts
Should you know a school that would welcome Best Buddies, contact Program Manager Molly Morrina at mollymorrina@bestbuddies.org.
Live Auction | Silent Auction | In-Kind Donors Arthur Printing BANG Bark Box Bluegreen Vacations Boston Red Sox Bubba’s Roadhouse Busey Bank Cabi Clothing, Sue Koedoot Café You Cape Cleaners Cape Coral Quarter Auction Queens Carol Scott Children’s Museum of Naples Christine Brady, Your Next Photographer Chubb Classic, PGA Tour Clearwater Aquarium Club at Gateway Cooper Hotels/Crowne Plaza Coral Oaks Golf Club Crave Culinaire Culver’s Dave & Buster’s Decorating Den Interiors Diamond Dave’s DJ Rich Discovery Village at the Forum DKR Travel Dunes Golf & Tennis Club Edible Arrangements Eileen Snider Edison Ford Winter Estates El Rio Golf Club Estee Lauder
Exert Clinic Dr. Lorna Fedelem & Associates Florida Everblades Fort Myers Mighty Mussels Freedom Boat Club Glitterazzi Boutique Goodness for Pets Gumbo Lindo House 2 Home Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Hyatt Regency Coral Gables Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress IMAG History & Science Ctr. John Michaels Jewelry Julie Lyle Kenia’s Kreations Key West Express Kimber’s Wine & Cigar Lounge Laugh-In Comedy Club Lelulo’s Pizza Leoma Lovegrove Life Law Planning Lou & Laura Georgelos Luminary Hotel M&M Café Mary Barghahn Photography Mary Kay, Christine Gross McGrath Volvo of Fort Myers Monat My Daily Choice Naples Grande Beach Resort & Golf Naples Luxury Imports Naples Princess Norman Love Confections
Live Auction | Silent Auction | In-Kind Donors Off the Hook Comedy Club On the Water Fort Myers Florida Palmetto Pines Golf Club Pampered Parent Paula Towell/Royal Shell Real Estate Presstige Printing Pristine Bins Publix PURE Florida Rick Gallo Ristorante Fabio Royal Shell, the Forneris Group Royal Scoop Ice Cream Sip & Send Snook Bight Marina South Seas Resort Spanish Wells Golf & Country Club Sprouts Starlight Productions
Sue Howell Massage Sundial Beach Resort Sunshine Ace Hardware Teach Fitness Tesla of Fort Myers TGIFridays The Bent Brush The Club at Gateway The Colony Golf & Country Club The Standard Restaurant Total Wine & More Translating Interpreting International Company (TIICO) Vanderbilt Country Club Vera Bradley @ Miromar Outlets Vineyard Vines WAWA Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming Zoo Miami
Thank You, Table Sponsors
MEET THE 2021 Matthew Boggan design mnb, web design studio Edye Button Cash Flow Strategies
Kristine Skaarsgard Lenny Cannova Modern Woodmen Haley Marra FGCU Student
Alexis Poore Publix
Sheena Reagan Zimco Entertainment
DreWhite I Want That Yummy
Anything for our
BUDDIES
CHAMPIONS Cody Eads Vocational Rehab
Laura Georgelos Coldwell Banker Realty
Kevin Montoya Vera Bradley at Miromar Outlets
Laura Morrina Embassy Creek Elementary
Char Seuffert Brightway Insurance, the Seuffert Agency
Mary Shea LaQuinta Inns & Suites
Know aa Potential Potential CHAMPION? CHAMPION? Know If you know someone who has a heart for the mission of inclusion, please email Area Director Melanie Musick for a nomination application at melaniemusick@bestbuddies.org or phone 239.275.2510.
MEET THE 2021 MI Thomas Browning
Anthony Darmenia
Ronald Joseph Jr.
Julie Lyle
Sohitha Paruchuri
Courtney Sharkey
Michael Weinstein
We’re more
ALIKE than different!
ISSION PARTNERS Gianna Gaziana-Whalen
Tori Georgelos
Jennifer Martinez
Mason McFelia
Amanda Slade
Abigil Stokes
Friendships for Adults: CITIZENS Best Buddies Citizens provides one-to-one friendships for adults over age 25. To get in on the fun of having your own buddy, contact Program Manager Molly Morrina at mollymorrina@bestbuddies.org.
Many THANKS to our STATE SPONSOR
People Dedicated to Quality
The Wesson Group
Proudly Supports
INCLUSION
B&W Structural
in Southwest Florida & Champion Alexis Poore
Gala Planning Committee Alina Gonzalez-Dockery, Chair Edye Button ⚫ Valerie Lee ⚫ Tanyah Lockett ⚫ Julie Lyle Juana Rodriguez ⚫ Courtney Sharkey ⚫ Amanda Slade Eileen Snider ⚫ Marty Wisher
Southwest Florida Advisory Board Cynthia Lingley, Community Member, Co-chair Jennifer Denike, WGCU, Co-chair Dani Cohen, STARability Foundation Ken Coker, Cross Country Mortgage Laura Georgelos, Coldwell Banker Real Estate Jennifer Mackler, Lee Co. School District Iain Mossman, Cuisinart Resort & Golf Club Courtney Sharkey, Moorings Park Carrie Ann Texter, Conditioned Air
Volunteer Opportunities ADVISORY BOARD Meet monthly with other community leaders who are guiding the vision and fundraising efforts of Best Buddies in Southwest Florida, such as programmatic expansions, event development, sponsorships, grant requests, recruiting volunteers and building the people pipeline.
CITIZENS FRIENDSHIP WALK Year-round one-to-one friendship match for adults older than age 25. You choose the fun you want to enjoy together, learn from each other, teach each other. Background check required for all participants.
FRIENDSHIP WALK Beginning in November, meet monthly with other community volunteers who are dreaming up the fun of our Southwest Florida Friendship Walk such as recruiting teams, games, prizes, activities, food, entertainment, logistics, weekly challenges. Event typically held in April.
CHAMPION OF THE YEAR Meet monthly with other community volunteers who are dreaming up the glamour of our Southwest Florida Champion of the Year Gala for 2022 that includes recruiting Champions, Mission Partners, mission moment, silent auction, live auction, entertainment, décor, venue selection, Champion training session, and kickoff party. Event typically held in Oct.—Nov.
We would love to have you join us and further your involvement with Best Buddies. If you are interested in joining one of our planning committees or simply learning more about Best Buddies, please contact Melanie Musick, Southwest Florida Area Director, by email: melaniemusick@bestbuddies.org or by phone: 239.275.2510.
Food. Fun. FRIENDSHIP!
4/30/22 MIROMAR OUTLETS, ESTERO, FL
The Best Buddies Friendship Walk is the leading walk in the country supporting inclusion for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (also known as IDD). Form your team now to get in on the “Party in the Park” FUN! Challenges and prizes for corporate, community and school teams. Raise $50 for Best Buddies, get a Walk t–shirt. Additional prizes available locally and nationally.
www.bestbuddiesfriendshipwalk.org/southwestflorida
Best Buddies Southwest Florida 5237 Summerlin Commons Blvd. Suite 105 Fort Myers, FL 33907 239.275.2510 bestbuddies.org/florida Best Buddies in Southwest Florida 5237 Summerlin Commons Blvd. Suite 105 Fort Myers, FL 33907 239-275-2510