Keeping Busy

In order to keep things new and interesting, often times the meetings will change. For instance, a at the end of September, the club took advantage of the sunny weather and spacious baseball field to hold a meeting. Members played games like Baggo, Ladder Ball and Frisbee.

Other than chapter meetings, the club utilizes its time for larger scale get-togethers. Libertyville Best Buddies’ large chapter project is the Best Buddies Carnival, held in the spring. At the carnival, kids transform into animals with crazy facepaint, players become winners in engaging games and everyone has a good time.

“I also like the carnival, it is a lot fun,” said sophomore Mason Reyes, one of the club’s fifteen buddies. “We have the game where you throw the ball into the bucket and other fun ones.”

Expanding the club’s activities doesn’t stop just at a new style of meeting or the carnival. According to Mrs. Recsetar, each month the club tries to do something new and interesting. In October, Peer Buddies took regular pumpkins and made them into art at the pumpkin painting meeting. Shortly after that, there will be a Best Buddies Halloween Party. Instead of watching “Elf” around the holidays, as done in years past, the club will actually take a trip to the movie theater as a group to see the latest holiday themed film. As usual, there will also be a Best Buddies Talent show in May.

The club would also like to add a friendship walk in the spring. The idea of the walk is similar to a charity 5k: the participants take part in a three mile “race.” Only instead of racing, the participants all walk the course together, in one large group.

Sometimes, ideas for activities come from the Buddies. Reyes had a few suggestions of his own.

“I would want to go to Great America,” suggested Reyes. “Goliath is fun. I also want to have a night you spend with your best buddies. Go swimming, have pizza. ‘Best Buddies Night Out!’ That’s it.”