By Darcy Gervais

Staff Writer

Best Buddies is a club that offers a lot more than other clubs at WA. It provides the diverse mixture of members from all grade levels and social groups, some with physical and mental disabilities, an opportunity to meet new people and make friends. It has been around for about six years and has impacted all involved in one way or another.

“The goal of the Best Buddies program is to get the students with physical challenges with other WA students so that they feel like this is their community,” Elaine Pietras, an advisor for the Best Buddies club said.

Many students involved in the Best Buddies club have been impacted in a way that they now see fellow students with both physical and mental disabilities as equals after talking to them and getting to know them through fellow interests and activities that the club holds.

“I now see how kids with disabilities can do what normal kids can do. Being in the Best Buddies has helped me help those kids and see them as regular people,” two year junior member Micayla Milisci said.

Students involved with the Best Buddies who have social issues and don’t make friends as easily as others have found the club to be helpful in the way that it pushes students to be more outgoing and break out of their comfort zone.

“It has helped me make new friends by going out more and accepting more friendship,” two year senior member Erika Spanos said.

When asked about any organized events and activities that the Best Buddies participate in, there was no lack of things that the Best Buddies can do together.

“We always have snacks and we have games. We go for walks around WA. We take the students to football games. At the end of the year, we all go neon bowling. It really is a fun experience,” Pietras said.

All Best Buddies meetings are held in room 110 and all activities will meet in room 125 at 2:00 unless otherwise noted.