The Best Buddies Friendship Walk is the leading walk in the country supporting inclusion for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
Best Buddies International is a nonprofit organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development and inclusive living for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
Nicholson School Lecturers Regina Francies, Ph.D., and Adam Parrish, Ph.D., are involved with the Best Buddies Orlando Friendship Walk.
Francies is currently serving on the Friendship Walk Recruitment Committee. Her goal is to recruit a minimum of five teams to collect donations and participate during the walk.
“I have been involved with Best Buddies since last fall,” said Francies. “I am the faculty adviser to UCF’s STEM Ambassador Program and we did an outreach project with Best Buddies Orlando. We held a public speaking workshop for the Best Buddies Orlando Ambassadors. I am also an occasional Bud Talk speaker for the local organization. Bud Talks are held monthly and cover a wide range of topics.”
This will be Francies’ first of what she hopes will be many Friendship Walks.
Adam Parrish has also set up a NSCM team page for those who would like to join the walk and/or donate: https://www.bestbuddiesfriendshipwalk.org/orlando/supporting/#UCFNSCM
Join 40,000 walkers across the country on May 1, 2021 for the event.
Published April 1, 2021. Written by Iulia Popescu. Photo credits of a past walk from Regina Francies.
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