On March 12, 2016, the 10 Oʻahu chapters of Best Buddies Hawaiʻi celebrated Friendship Month by hosting the Best Buddies Friendship Walk at Magic Island. In attendance were 49 faculty, students and alumni of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa College of Education’s special education department along with football coach Nick Rolovich and members of the University of Hawaiʻi football team.
Best Buddies Hawaiʻi is a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness and funds to support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. UH groups including the College of Education Champions, the Student Council for Exceptional Children and the Center on Disability Studies donated more than $3,125 to the cause, along with numerous individual donations from College of Education faculty, students and alumni.
“There is nothing more important than the people in our lives,” said Rhonda Black, special education professor at UH Mānoa and advisory board member of Best Buddies. “Best Buddies is an organization built on this foundation. Best Buddies programs in ten schools on Oʻahu work to provide opportunities for young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to develop one-on-one friendships and participate in group activities with their peers without disabilities.”
With chapters on Maui and on Oʻahu, there are a total of 16 chapters with 656 participants in Hawaiʻi.
—By Kapiʻolani Ching
