Wheaton's Best Buds Wins Community Award

The student-run group Best Buds was recently honored with an award for outstanding community service for its work with people who have developmental disabilities.

The campus club, which has been active for several years, received a Community Excellence Award for 2012 from The Arc of Bristol County, a non-profit organization that serves individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities and their families in Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

The award was presented to the Wheaton club during The Arc's 53rd anniversary celebration on June 13, 2012.

Each semester, the leaders of the college's Best Buds club have recruited between as many as 60 students who are willing to volunteer time to become a buddy to an individual from The Arc. The club has received several student awards from the college over the years, including “The Outstanding Club Innovations” award and the “Chapel Basement Collaborative Leadership” award.

Wheaton's Best Buds club is dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities by providing opportunities for mutually enriching one-to-one friendships and new social networks. The club also strives to spread awareness about disabilities on and around the Wheaton campus.