Club matches students, friends with disabilities

When Kathleen Pollack first moved to Florida, she lived next door to a girl who had an intellectual disability.

Meeting her neighbor, whom the UCF alumna described as "such a happy person," is what first spurred Pollack's interest in Best Buddies.

"People with intellectual disabilities make you appreciate the smaller things in life and not worry about the things that people stress about every day," Pollack said.

So when Pollack joined Best Buddies in high school and continued her involvement in college, she knew that it would become a rewarding experience for the rest of her life.

Pollack isn't alone. The UCF chapter of Best Buddies has more than 50 college buddies and 60 associate members.

Best Buddies is a nonprofit organization that partners college students with people with intellectual disabilities in hopes of providing social outlets by creating one-on-one friendships. According to the Best Buddies Web site, it is an organization in more than 1,400 schools worldwide, and it contributes approximately $70 million worth of services to the community each year.

The UCF chapter of the club began six years ago.        

"Best Buddies is all about equality," Pollack said. "We have strengths and weaknesses, everybody does, and Best Buddies is there to make people realize that. You know one person isn't better than another."

In the UCF chapter of Best Buddies, college buddies meet their buddies at a match party at the beginning of the fall semester. The buddies are matched with their college buddies based on interviews, interests, similarities and a matching survey that both buddies fill out.
Best Buddies hosts an event about once a month. 

Its events include the Match Party, Fall Festival, Relay for Life, Taste of Friendship and VIP Night.       

Domingo Rodriguez, a 20-year-old best buddy, said the Match Party was fun, mainly because it was where he met his college buddy, Allan.

Rodriguez has a lot in common with Allan, and they often spend time watching TV and playing soccer together.        

Rodriguez's favorite event was VIP Night, where he was awarded "Best Flirter of the Year."       

Similarly, Sean Abbott, a 21-year-old best buddy, said VIP Night was his favorite because he won the "Most Helpful" award.      

Abbott said his time in Best Buddies has been "extraordinary."       

Terry Baker, a 19-year-old best buddy, said he values the time he spends with his college buddy, Zachary Kruger.       

Kruger is a sophomore business major who has been involved in Best Buddies since middle school. Kruger said he knows the effect the program has on the buddies firsthand, because his brother has special needs.

He said that seeing the buddies' faces when you spend time with them makes it all worth it."It's almost like a feel-good thing," Kruger said.

The two usually eat lunch in the Student Union and talk about school and girls.

Danielle Fischler, a senior interdisciplinary study major, and a past president of the UCF chapter of Best Buddies, said she thinks she often gets more out of her friendship with her buddy, Kyle, than he does with her.

"I always tell even the college buddies that it's not a charity, because you get so much out of their friendship," Fischler said.       

To ensure the longevity of the club, Fischler is still very much involved in Best Buddies and keeps in contact with Kyle, who she said is sarcastic and fun to be around. She said she also plans on maintaining her friendship with him even after she graduates.   

"He's awesome, really the epitome of awesome," Fischler said.        

Shira London, a senior criminal justice major, said she really enjoys being part of Best Buddies and, most of all, her friendship with her buddy, Gaby.       

London said that although her buddy lives far away, they still find time to see each other and often talk on the phone.       

London will never forget Gaby's birthday party, where Gaby's family was so nice and welcoming. She said it's a great feeling to know that someone is looking up to you.       

Kaylea Nicholson, a senior communication sciences and disorders major and current president of the UCF chapter, speaks with her buddy, Richie, once a week.

Nicholson and Fischler said they agree with Pollack in that being a part of the club is a very rewarding experience.

"Everyone who's in it sees the value in it," Pollack said. "You're helping people, and that makes you a stronger person and happy, but you learn so much about yourself and you grow."

Although no longer a college student, Pollack said her heart is still close to Best Buddies and that she makes a conscious effort to keep in contact with her buddies.        

When speaking about Carrie, a best buddy, Pollack said it was great to have another girl to relate to and talk about girl stuff. She said when they spent time together, Carrie would hug her and talk about new nail polish she had bought.       

In an organization such as Best Buddies, one can see where the money on campus is going, Pollack said. The club is unique due to the type of impact volunteers often make.

"You're not picking up garbage or something like that," Pollack said. "You're affecting people's lives."