PHL Champion of the Year Program Book

NOVEMBER 16, 2023 DREXELBROOK SPECIAL EVENT CENTER

MANY THANKS TO OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS!

Dear Friends, Welcome to the 2023 Best Buddies in Philadelphia Champion of the Year Gala, a celebration of inclusivity and friendship. It is an honor and a privilege to have you join us for this remarkable occasion.

We’ve come together tonight not just to celebrate our Champions but to celebrate the impact of Best Buddies. We've faced countless challenges, yet we've seen our community emerge stronger and more united than ever.

For more than three decades, Best Buddies has stood at the forefront of the inclusion revolution. Our mission is clear: to end the social, physical, and economic isolation of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) through the power of friendship. We firmly believe that when we bridge the gap and build meaningful connections, we create a more inclusive world where everyone is valued, and everyone belongs.

With programs in all 50 states and 49 countries, our impact continues to resonate across the globe. In Pennsylvania, we've expanded to over 140 schools, touching the lives of an estimated 75,000 individuals with and without IDD. In the last 10 weeks alone, Best Buddies in Pennsylvania has welcomed nine new schools, opening doors to thousands of new friendships and opportunities.

2023 marks a historic year for us as we enthusiastically returned in-person to the annual Best Buddies Leadership Conference. Over 60 passionate and dedicated students, faculty, and ambassadors from Pennsylvania joined us, showcasing the power of our collective efforts to promote inclusion, leadership, and personal development. Additionally, as of November 1st, we take immense pride that we have visited 82% of our school chapters in person. This dedication to in-person engagement not only reflects our unwavering commitment to building meaningful connections but also reinforces the genuine bonds that are at the core of our mission.

Without the support of our community, none of these efforts and impacts would have been achievable. Our gratitude goes out to our sponsors, advisory board members, and, most importantly, our incredible Champions.

They've shown us that a single person's dedication can spark a movement, and their tireless efforts have made this year's campaign truly exceptional.

As we gather tonight, we invite you to immerse yourself in the Best Buddies spirit. Embrace the warmth of our community, celebrate the victories of our Champions, and let their stories inspire you.

Thank you for your support and thank you for being a part of our Best Buddies family.

In Friendship, Samantha Civitate State Director Best Buddies in Pennsylvania

NOVEMBER 16, 2023 DREXELBROOK SPECIAL EVENT CENTER 4700 DREXELBROOK DRIVE DREXEL HILL, PA 19026

TONIGHT’S PROGRAM 6:00 PM Cocktails & Silent Auction 7:30 PM Dinner Served 7:35 PM Program Begins 8:15 PM Silent Auction Closes 8:30 PM Live Auction 9:15 PM Champion Announced 9:30 PM Dance Party

OUR MISSION

Best Buddies International is a nonprofit 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.

Nominees NOMINEE ALLY ALTSHULER MISSION PARTNER CONNOR FITZGERALD

NOMINEE MISTY GIBBONS MISSION PARTNER KATIE SPENCER

NOMINEE EMILY HORENSKY CAMPAIGN MANAGER WINSLOW ROCHE

NOMINEE BETH HORNBACK

NOMINEE SHERRELL KENNEDY

NOMINEE EMILY KWON

NOMINEE ASHLEY LONG MISSION PARTNER MARK WEISS

MEET THE PENNSYLVANIA TEAM

SAMANTHA CIVITATE

KELLY BERTOLETTE

SAMANTHA MILDNER

BRIANNA WOLFLE

OLIVIA STECKMAN

MEGAN RODGERS

State Director

Deputy Director of Programs and Operations

EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA

Area Director, Philadelphia

Program Manager, Philadelphia

Area Director, Pittsburgh

Program Manager, Pittsburgh

WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA

EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA ADVISORY BOARD SARA MOLINA-ROBINSON, CHAIR Chief Educational Services Officer, PHMC MARGARET BRENNER Philadelphia Best Buddies Citizens Member Senior Business Development Executive, OneDigital JOHN DRONSON Retired, JLL & Merck Executive CORY GILBERT Best Buddies Parent Executive, Merck LISA HOLZ Ambassador, Best Buddies Employee, Wegmans Bakery MICHELLE MILLER Best Buddies Parent Director of Clinical Development, UPenn GTP STEVE PAUL Philadelphia Best Buddies Citizens Member Relationship Manager, BREX JEFFREY SLAVICH Best Buddies Parent Financial Advisor, FirsTrust HEATHER VAN HORN Best Buddies Advisor & Special Education Department Chair, Lower Merion High School JACKIE WARD Best Buddies Advisor & Special Education Teacher, Pennsbury High School

FRIENDSHIP PROGRAMS Best Buddies Friendship programs represent one of our organization’s four key mission pillars. These programs build one-to-one friendships between people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), offering social interactions while improving the quality of life and level of inclusion for a population that is often isolated and excluded. Through their participation, people with IDD form meaningful connections with their peers, gain self-confidence and self-esteem, and share interests, experiences and activities that many other individuals enjoy.

PA PROGRAMS

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CHAPTERS

6131

ACTIVE MEMBERS

20 36 57 24 2

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

MIDDLE SCHOOLS

HIGH SCHOOLS

COLLEGES

CITIZENS PROGRAMS

SCHOOL CHAPTERS 2023-2024 Belmont Hills Elementary School Great Valley High School Copper Beech Elementary School Harriton High School General Wayne Elementary School Haverford High School Highland Elementary School Henderson High School Kathryn D. Markley Elementary School Kennett High School McKinley Elementary School Lower Dauphin High School Manavon Elementary School Lower Merion High School Schuylkill Elementary School Marple Newtown High School Starkweather Elementary School Methacton High School Whitehall Elementary School Norristown High School Black Rock Middle School Octorara Area High School Cardinal John Foley Catholic School Owen J. Roberts High School Charles Boehm Middle School Penn Wood High School Colonial Middle School Pennsbury High School Eyer Middle School Perkiomen Valley High School Great Valley Middle School Phoenixville Area High School Haverford Middle School Plymouth Whitemarsh High School J R Fugett Middle School Quakertown High School Kennett Middle School Strath Haven High School Lionville Middle School Unionville High School Muhlenberg Junior High School Upper Merion High School Octorara Intermediate School West Chester East High School Owen J. Roberts Middle School William Penn Senior High School Paxon Hollow Middle School Bloomsburg University Peirce Middle School DeSales University Penn Wood Middle School East Stroudsburg Pennwood Middle School Elizabethtown College Phoenixville Area Middle School Gwynedd-Mercy University Stetson Middle School Haverford College Upper Merion Middle School Kutztown University Welsh Valley Middle School Millersville University William Penn Middle School Misericordia University Archbishop John Carroll High School Moravian College Avon Grove High School Muhlenberg College Bayard Rustin High School Susquehanna University Conestoga High School Temple University Conwell Egan High School Ursinus College Downingtown East High School Villanova University Downingtown West High School West Chester University Franklin Towne Charter High School

PENNSYLVANIA STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD MICHELLE KELLY, CO-CHAIR Penn State University KELSEY MCGAUGHEY, CO-CHAIR University of Pittsburgh KENDAL ASTOR Chartiers Valley High School EMILY CAMPOS Deer Lakes High School CASEY CONWAY Strath Haven High School ADDISON DOWNS Henderson High School NISHTHA GUPTA Great Valley High School PEYTON HARRILL Conestoga High School MADISON HARTUNG North Allegheny High School ANDREA HORROCKS Duquesne University EMILY KWON Marple Newtown High School AMELIA MORTENSON State College Area High School KATIE QUEENAN West Chester University

FRIENDSHIP SPOTLIGHT

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2022 CHAMPION OF THE YEAR, JASON ANDERSON, WITH HIS SON AND MISSION PARTNER, TEDDY!

Our Champions truly epitomize the word “Champion” itself. This select group of leaders raises millions of dollars for Best Buddies annually, and they impact their local programs in an extraordinary and unprecedented way.

While they compete for weeks, we revere their commitment to inclusion forever and lean on their wisdom to guide future Champions.

Jason raised $20,000 for Best Buddies in Eastern Pennsylvania. Thank you for your dedication to the Best Buddies mission of inclusion.

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Best Buddies in Pennsylvania thanks you for your continued support of our mission and for joining us at the 2023 Champion of the Year Gala!

We’ll see you at our Friendship Walk in Spring 2024!

The K10 Foundation is proud to be a buddy of Best Buddies and congratulates the organization on another great year!

Best Buddies in Pennsylvania pennsylvania@bestbuddies.org 888.604.7376