Thanks for being Hope and Charlie's "Best Buddy"

Best Buddies is an awesome organization that intentionally creates one-to-one friendships between individuals who have disabilities and plain old regular folk. Please stop for a moment to consider two of the potential benefits to a relationship like this:



* A disabled person suddenly feels accepted, because he/she is really "hanging out" with a "normal" friend.



* The community sees the disabled person attending sporting events, concerts or simply shopping at the local mall with a typical person who has no disability. Immediately, a positive picture is created that might change what was once a fearful attitude toward a disabled person into a welcoming attitude.



In addition, Best Buddies works with local businesses to develop jobs for disabled citizens. Most all individuals want to feel like their life is productive; a disabled person is no different.



As a mother of two with Down Syndrome, I am grateful to organizations that seek to find ways to include the disabled into everyday culture. I love the Best Buddies Mission: "To make the world a place where Best Buddies will no longer be needed and will be put out of business." Isn't that great?



Our family is walking in a 5k event (toting Hope and Charlie along in a wagon) to benefit Best Buddies. If every one of the blog followers would click on the link below and contribute only $5.00, Hope and Charlie would meet their goal of raising $1,000.00! You have all been such cheerleaders for the two special ones in our family, thank you for honoring them! Don't you feel like you have become their "Best Buddies"? You have definitely made me feel that way.

You can make a $5.00 contribution by clicking here and typing in Melanie Hollis in the Sponsor Participant space on the side of the page:

http://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=429908&lis=1&kntae429908=AEA630724F7