Cham-pi-on/CHampēan
Verb:
Support the cause of; defend.
Noun:
1. Militant advocate or defender;
2. A person who has defeated or surpassed all rivals in a competition
What is Champion of the Year?
Champion of the Year is an eight week fundraising competition benefiting Best Buddies Tennessee. Participants compete to raise the most funds and earn the title of Champion of the Year.
By reaching out to the community to raise funds and spread awareness, candidates champion for Best Buddies, our mission, and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities throughout Tennessee. We honor all of our candidates at the Champion of the Year Kick-off Party and the Awards Ceremony.
Best Buddies will also recognize the candidate who raises the largest amount in donations. By definition, that candidate will have surpassed all rivals in the competition; and therefore, becomes a champion. He or she will aptly receive the title of Champion of the Year, along with a trip for two to Chicago!
All funds raised through the 2011 Champion of the Year campaign will benefit Best Buddies Tennessee. All donations are exempt from tax.
For more information, please contact us at tennessee@bestbuddies.org or (615) 483.3177.
Debra Myrick, 2010 Champion of the Year
The Candidates
The ideal candidates are business and community leaders who are ambitious, socially active, philanthropic, well-networked, and passionate about making a difference in the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Candidates will receive great recognition in the Nashville market and will have the opportunity to work with a Buddy – a person with IDD.
2010 Champion of the Year Candidates
The Reason
Although people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have been given many legal rights over the last 50 years, they are still socially isolated in the communities in which they live. Too many individuals with IDD eat lunch by themselves every day at school, have never received a phone call from anyone outside of their family, or have someone they can call a friend.
Champion of the Year candidates are a part of the solution to this problem. The funds they raise will help Best Buddies Tennessee enhance the lives of people with IDD by matching them into one-to-one friendships with their non-disabled peers that can last a lifetime.
Founded in 1989 by Anthony Kennedy Shriver, Best Buddies is a vibrant, international non-profit organization that has grown from one original chapter at Georgetown University to more than 1,500 college, high school and middle school campuses around the world.
Honorary Chairs
Bryan Link and Will Macon
Will Macon is a sophomore at Vanderbilt University. Before entering college, Will had never heard of Best Buddies program and I had never worked with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. When he heard about the organization, he felt strongly about the mission and decided to give it a try. He now says that not many days go by where did doesn't thank God that Best Buddies found him. "No offense to my fantastic professors in high school and college, but my Buddy Bryan has taught me more than they ever will. He may not have lectured me on calculus or chemistry, but through his being, he's shown me the true meanings of joy, honesty, friendship, appreciation, and happiness, and I cannot express how grateful I am to have him in my life."
Bryan Link is 20 years old and a member of Vanderbilt Best Buddies. He graduated from high school in 2010 and is currently enrolled in the "Choices" program at Beech High School where he learns life skills. Like many young adults his age, he likes basketball, football, NASCAR racing, his church youth group, dancing, and hanging out with friends. He joined Best Buddies to meet new friends, go places, and do more things. "I have learned that with the right leadership and encouragement, I can achieve any goal."
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