Best Buddies hosted their first club meeting of the year Oct. 14 at senior Andrew Bensonoff’s house.   

“I feel that the Halloween matching party was important because some members of the club are not as involved or don’t have time during school to stop by the Best Buddies room, so this event allowed them to personally meet their buddy,” senior Andrew Bensonoff said. 

Along with being an introductory meeting for buddies and their peers, it was a Halloween celebration including a piñata, a mummy wrap game and pizza. A five-dollar gift card to McDonalds was rewarded to the winners of the mummy-wrap game. 

“The piñata game was so amazing to see each kid get an opportunity to do something together, and once the pinata was broke open the excitement on their faces was amazing,” sophomore Sarajeanne Russell said. “The Halloween matching party is a great event for our new members to get to know all of the buddies at once and make new friends with other members. It is a great way to kick off the year in Best Buddies.”  

Best Buddies connects students with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities.  

“Most of these kids don’t have friends outside of the ESE environment,” Exceptional Student Education teacher Caroline Medina said. “It’s important to me to get them included with the regular education population because even people to this day are unsure of how to act with them. Once the kids get to know them, they like them as real people.”  

Best Buddies plans to host a Christmas-themed party next where buddy pairs will make gingerbread houses together.