St Louis Champion of the Year Program Book

Dear Friends, Hi and welcome to the Best Buddies in Missouri Champion of the Year Gala.

My name is Hannah Marley and I have the honor of being the State Director for Best Buddies in Missouri.

Best Buddies is the world’s largest international organization working towards ending the social isolation facing 300 million people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Best Buddies envisions a world where people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are so successfully integrated into schools, workplaces, and communities that our current services will be unnecessary.

While Best Buddies may be the leading organization internationally working towards creating inclusive opportunities for people with disabilities. Locally, Best Buddies has so much room to grow!

We are thrilled to celebrate our inaugural Champion of the Year Gala in St. Louis with you. This event is a celebration of our local community advocates, with and without disabilities. It also allows us a chance to come together and envision what we want to be true of our community.

This year’s theme is, “Mission: Inclusion!” We have a vision for a fully disability inclusive St. Louis. We know that this requires leaders of all different industries linking arms and working together to make St. Louis a united community for people with and without disabilities.

While our goal starts with inclusion that’s not where it ends. Our hope is that the Champion of the Year event is a spark that allows you to learn something new about the disability community and feel energized towards supporting a St. Louis where people with disabilities are not only included but have the opportunity to truly thrive!

Thank you and have a wonderful night!!

- Hannah Marley

This Year's Entertainment Nancy Cripe is President and Auctioneer at GRS Auction & Liquidation and a Real Estate Broker with Fine and Company. She has diverse background in the auction and real estate industries and is focused in bringing a result driven approach to create giving opportunities. Nancy is passionate about the mission and offices with Best Buddies in the St. Louis Office.

How to Bid Register: Text STLCOY23 to (76278) Donate: Text the word GIVE and amount (dollar sign not required) to (76278) *You can also bid in the silent auction once you’ve registered

Bid From the Heart The Value of Your Donation Supports Best Buddies helps form meaningful friendships, secure successful jobs, live independently, improve public speaking, self-advocacy and communications skills, all while feeling valued by society. $5,000 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. $2,500 Fund an all-day Ambassadors training session for up to 50 people with and without IDD, where attendees will gain the public speaking skills and confidence needed to champion for inclusion throughout their community. $1,000 Give a student leader, Ambassador, or Advisor the opportunity to attend the annual Best Buddies Leadership Conference, where he or she will learn to advocate for him or herself and the larger IDD community. $350 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. $100 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. $25 Supply training and 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.

Champion Candidates

Ethan Schroeder Champion Candidate

Mikala McGhee Rachel Bloom Champion Candidate Champion Candidate

Mallory Weiss Champion Candidate

Hayley Leach Mission Partner

Ryan Olsen Mission Partner

Lauren Munn Mission Partner

Elizabeth Goth Mission Partner

Brian Schierding Mission Partner

We have a vision for a fully disability inclusive St. Louis. We know that this requires leaders of all different industries linking arms and working together to make St. Louis a united community for people with disabilities.

To our Inclusion Partners working with us to make this a reality,

thank you

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Walk. Celebrate. Support.

May 4th, 2024 KIRKWOOD PARK 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).

BESTBUDDIESFRIENDSHIPWALK.ORG/STLOUIS

Hannah Marley, State Director HannahMarley@BestBuddies.Org

MAKE A FRIEND | DONATE | VOLUNTEER

To find more information, visit: BESTBUDDIESCHAMPION.ORG/STLOUIS

Best Buddies International | TAX ID 52-1614576