Best Buddies plan social communion

By: Lindsay Little
Posted In: News

One of the newest university student organizations on campus is the Salve Regina chapter of Best Buddies. Best Buddies is an international nonprofit organization that seeks to get rid of the stereotypes surrounding intellectual disabilities. On a rainy night this past April, Salve students and Newport area residents gathered in McAuley Hall to begin breaking down some of the social barriers between them.

The “Best Buddies Mixer” was lead by sophomore Danielle Castonguay, who was appointed to the position of College Buddy Director in mid February 2004 per the recommendation of Professor Kitty Rok.

According to the Best Buddies International web site, there are 316 active college Best Buddies chapters worldwide. Salve joins college chapters already established at Brown University, Providence College, Roger Williams, URI, and Johnson & Wales. Best Buddies International also has active chapters in countries such as Colombia, Cuba, Ireland, and Sweden.

On April 13, the night of the inaugural Salve Best Buddies Mixer, over 15 Salve students met their new Best Buddies for the first time. There was a tension of excitement hovering over McAuley 104 as names were called and happy faces met for the first time. Intellectually disabled men and women of all ages were paired with Salve students after Castonguay and Bill Lusignan, Best Buddies Rhode Island Program Manager, reviewed the surveys that each buddy had previously filled out to determine compatibility.

Once the buddies were matched up, the pairs set to work on their first project: to create a portfolio of common interests that would serve as a resource to guide their first meetings. Laughter danced through the room as buddies cut pictures of things that represent their interests out of magazines. Newport resident Ali Worthen and Salve freshman Heather Stankiewich became Buddies at the mixer. Worthen and Stankiewich chatted as they pasted pictures of movies onto their folder. They giggled as they realized with good humor that their folder had been labeled upside down.

In order to facilitate a healthy and rewarding relationship, best buddies are required to complete two individual projects together during the course of each month. These projects are meant to facilitate easy companionship. A trip to the bowling alley, a baseball game, or out to ice cream are suggested projects. In addition to individual projects, the entire Salve Best Buddies chapter will complete a big community project together each year.

Salve was introduced to the Best Buddies program in September of 2003, when Bill Lusignan attended the Fall Service Fair.

Salve Best Buddies chapter is in association with Looking Upwards, a nonprofit agency based in Middletown, who has a similar vision to Best Buddies. Looking Upwards was founded in 1978 and offers its services to adults and children with intellectual disabilities. Looking Upwards offers a variety of services, including residential support, guidance, day enrichment, vocational services.

Michele Banks, residential services coordinator for Looking Upwards, remarked that the Salve Best Buddies program is “an exceptional opportunity for all involved,” for both students and buddies.

Best Buddies was founded in 1989 by a college student named Anthony K. Shriver. He inspired his peers to form relationships with intellectually disabled people – thus opening up a new world of opportunities to all people. Shriver is now famed for his incredible insight into an important societal problem and has been honored for his great service to the world community.

The goal of Best Buddies is to dissolve this social hurdle through communion with men and women who have just as many dreams as the average Salve student, but whose dreams are often disregarded by society because of intellectual impediment and a stereotype constructed social status.

The Salve students who have already been assigned buddies will keep in touch with their new friends over the summer as pen pals. No more buddies will be assigned during the current school year. If interested, please contact Danielle Castonguay at danielle.castonguay@salve.edu.