P R O G R A M
B O O K
Table of Contents Introduction
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What is Champion of the Year?
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Mission Moment
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Our Champion Candidates
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Bid For The Heart
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Kendra Scott Partnership
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Special Thanks to our Vendors
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Interested in joining our Board?
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2026 Friendship Walk
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2025 Chapter Stats
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Best Buddies Programs
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Support Monthly: The Bridge
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Special Thanks to our Sponsors
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Program Ads
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Grace Anne Maughan Director of Mission Advancement Best Buddies in Alabama
Dear Friends, Welcome to the 2025 Best Buddies in Alabama Champion of the Year Gala, a celebration of inclusivity and friendship! It is an honor and a privilege to have you join us for this remarkable occasion. This year’s theme “Together We Shine” plays into the importance of friendship and support in all of our lives. Just like how the moon cannot shine without the sun, we cannot fully shine without the love and support from our friends and families. Best Buddies cannot shine here in Alabama without the support of each and every one of you. Your time and resources truly make the difference in furthering our important mission across this great state! We’ve come together tonight not just to celebrate our Champions but to celebrate the impact of Best Buddies. For more than three decades, Best Buddies has stood at the forefront of the inclusion revolution. Our mission is clear: to end the social, physical, and economic isolation of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) through the power of friendship. We firmly believe that when we bridge the gap and build meaningful connections, we create a more inclusive world where everyone is valued, and everyone belongs. With programs in all 50 states and 49 countries, our impact continues to resonate across the globe. In Alabama, we've expanded to over 28 chapters, 2,288 memberships, and 244 matches. Without the support of our community, none of these efforts and impacts would have been achievable. My gratitude goes out to our sponsors, volunteers, and, most importantly, our incredible Champions. They've shown us that a single person's dedication can spark a movement, and their tireless efforts have made this year's campaign truly exceptional. As we gather tonight, we invite you to immerse yourself in the Best Buddies spirit. Embrace the warmth of our community, celebrate the victories of our Champions, and let their stories inspire you. Thank you for your support and thank you for being a part of our Best Buddies family.
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What is Champion of the Year? Best Buddies Champion of the Year is a competitive fundraising campaign that unites and recognizes leaders of inclusion in local communities nationwide. Our Champions advocate for the Best Buddies mission and will generate countless opportunities for friendships and leadership development. At the Best Buddies Champion of the Year celebration, we honor the Champions’ collective impact and name the ultimate Champion of the Year!
2024 Alabama Champion of the Year
Jud Robinson & David Carter Raised $40,619 for Best Buddies in Alabama 3
This Years Mission Moment!
Mary is a passionate advocate for people with disabilities and the host of "The Awesome Mary Show" on YouTube, where she shares her inspiring and often humorous take on living with a disability Mary has been recognized as a leader in advocacy, receiving the Self-Advocate of Distinction Award in 2024 from ARC of Alabama, the Jeff Ridgeway Advocacy Award, the Vulcan Community Award, and was named one of Alabama Public Television's Young Heroes. She is a graduate of the ACCESS Program at Mississippi State University and currently works at Children's of Alabama. As a dedicated member of Best Buddies and a selected ambassador, Mary has spoken at events nationwide, inspiring audiences with her powerful message about possibility and resilience. She is also a competitive runner for the Lakeshore Foundation. Mary embodies the philosophy that life is about what you CAN do, and tonight she's here to share that inspiring message with all of us. Please give a warm welcome to Mary White!
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Meet our Champion Candidates Nicole Newell & Latasha Bonner
Latasha Bonner and Nicole Newell work together at J.M. Smucker's Uncrustables® facility in McCalla, Alabama. Latasha is the Sandwich Making Team Lead and Nicole is the Operations Director. Their mission partner is Erica Barnes, a member of the UAB Best Buddies chapter. Latasha is a proud wife and devoted mother whose son was recently diagnosed with Adult Autism. Being an advocate for him made her want to be a champion to bring awareness and understanding to people with IDD. Nicole is a proud New Orleans native who lives in Pelham with her husband and their goldendoodle and serves on the boards of the Birmingham Business Alliance and Bessemer Area Chamber of Commerce. She views being a champion as honoring her mother, who spent her entire career working with IDD adults with dedication and love, including organizing special events that celebrated and uplifted them.
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Meet our Champion Candidates Hope Benjamin
Hope Benjamin is a Best Buddies Ambassador and member of our Tuscaloosa Citizens chapter. Her mission partner is Mary Battle and her campaign manager is her mother Donna Benjamin. Hope has a rare genetic disorder called Houge Janssens Syndrome 1 and credits Best Buddies with giving her an inclusive community. She decided to be a champion because Best Buddies inspired her to create inclusion around the world!
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Meet our Champion Candidates Ren Elder
Ren Elder is from Birmingham and is a junior majoring in Kinesiology at the University of Alabama. She aspires to attend Occupational Therapy school at UAB after college. Her mission partner is her buddy, Brannon Stamper. Ren spent the past three summers working at The Exceptional Foundation in Birmingham, where she discovered her passion for supporting individuals with IDD. Finding and joining Best Buddies at UA has deepened her passion and given her lifelong friends like her buddy Brannon!
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Meet our Champion Candidates Payton Holmes
Payton Holmes is a hair stylist at The Phoenix Salon. Payton has always loved helping those in need and bringing people closer together. The Lord called her to become a champion after seeing the challenges kids with intellectual disabilities can face and feeling a deep compassion and desire to make a difference in their lives.
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Meet our Champion Candidates Kiley Kreitz
Kiley Kreitz is a junior at UAB studying Disability Studies and Rehabilitation Sciences and is in her third year serving on the Best Buddies at UAB executive team. Her mission partner is Sam Sullivan and her campaign manager is 2024 champion candidate, Lauren Luckie. Kiley enjoys volunteering to train service dogs. She treasures the great friends and memories she has made through Best Buddies and wants to help as many people as possible experience the same!
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Meet our Champion Candidates Will Lesley
Will Lesley is an accountant at Vulcan Materials Company and also pursuing his MBA at UAB. His mission partner is Colin Kimbrell, a chapter member from Oak Mountain High School. In his free time, Will loves to cheer on the Crimson Tide and Atlanta Braves, and enjoys spending time outdoors with his dog, Gus. Will said yes to being a champion because of the friendships he has made and the impact Best Buddies has had on him.
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Meet our Champion Candidates Thomas Powe
Thomas Powe is originally from Selma. His mission partners are his son, Henry Powe and his long-time friend, Frannie Clark. Thomas is married and has three sons. He enjoys anything outdoors, including hunting, fishing, and camping. Thomas chose to be a champion because he believes in the mission of Best Buddies, and is inspired by his son who is on the autism spectrum and has taught him a lot about himself.
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Meet our Champion Candidates Charlee Reid
Charlee Reid is a senior at Helena High School. Her mission partner is her brother Mason Smith and her campaign manager is her mother Candace Aiken. Charlee was crowned Miss Shelby County's Teen in July 2024 and placed 1st Runner-up Miss Alabama's Teen in March 2024. Charlee started advocating for those with IDDs at age 14 and has seen firsthand how Best Buddies positively influences lives. After having such a positive experience as a champion last year, she was thrilled to be a champion again!
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Meet our Champion Candidates Emma Terry
Emma Terry is the current Miss Alabama and a Leeds native. She is a UAB graduate with a master's degree in accounting. Emma was crowned Miss Alabama in 2025 and her community impact initiative is "Stomping out ALS One Step at a Time," which honors her grandfather who passed away from ALS. She is continuing the tradition started last year of Miss Alabama serving as a Best Buddies Champion and loves the partnership between Miss America and Best Buddies.
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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 • A middle school, high school, or college Chapter for a year • The cost of the room and food to host 250+ Best Buddies members to the statewide Friendship Ball $2,500 • 10 buddy runners to participate in the ION Bank Cheshire Half Marathon or 5K or Team Best Buddies Relay $1,000 • The cost to send a Buddy to the Leadership Conference (Registration and Air) • A tent at the walk • DJ or photo booth for a statewide Best Buddies event $500 • Bus to transport a school chapter to the Friendship Walk or Friendship Ball • Registration for a buddy to attend the Leadership Conference • The cost of a flight to send a student leader to the Leadership Conference in Indiana $350 • Citizens/Ambassador bowling party • 1 buddy runner to participate in the ION Bank Cheshire Half Marathon • The cost of buying t-shirts for a school chapter $250 • The cost to send 4 buddies to the Buddy Ball • The cost to send a buddy to the Party with a Purpose • Transportation for 2 ambassadors to give public speeches • The cost of a pizza party for a school chapter
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Kendra Scott Partnership
Kendra Scott will be partnering with Best Buddies of Alabama on Thursday October 9th and Friday October 10th! The code below can be used for any purchase, and 20% of money spent will go back to Best Buddies of Alabama!
Code:
GIVEBACK - KEGMP
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Special Thanks to our In-Kind Donors
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Interested In Joining Our Board?
We are looking for people to join our inagural board in 2026! We are interested in a mix of both young and seasoned professionals. Contact Samm Hill, Advisory Board Chair, for more details.
shill@businteriors.com
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Join us at the Friendship Walk! Sunday, April 26th 2026
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Snow Hinton Park Tuscaloosa, AL
The Best Buddies Friendship Walk is a free community festival that celebrates our Friendship Chapters from across the state. Join us for an afternoon of fun that highlights our mission of inclusionary friendship & leadership development!
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Support Monthly: The Bridge When you commit to a recurring gift, you become a member of The Bridge – a group of dedicated Best Buddies supporters who help build connections between people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
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Special Thanks to our Sponsors
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Proudly Supports Best Buddies 24
Congratulations On A Great Campaign! We are so proud of you!
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Uncrustables® Proudly Made in McCalla, Alabama
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The Stamper Family loves Brannon and Ren!
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P R O G R A M 34
A D S
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Congratulations to Ren Elder for your Best Buddies Champion of the Year Nomination. Love, Susan & Megan Nasca
Communities in Motion AtMotion, webelieve communitiesthrivewhen everyone is included. That’s why we are proudtosupport Best Buddies Alabama and their missionto create friendships, jobs, leadership opportunities, and inclusive living for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
Together, we are building stronger communities — and keeping them in motion. Proud to Support Best Buddies.
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The Tanner Family Proudly Supports Best Buddies
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