Under soft lights and gold decorations, the local YMCA gym had been completely transformed into A Night in Paris. The music bouncing off the walls, people dressed up to the nines, and there was a kind of energy that made it feel bigger than the building itself. Peer buddies were already out on the dance floor together, laughing together, and forming new friendships.
For Best Buddies at Bloomsburg University, nights like this are what the organization is built around.
Part of Best Buddies International, a global nonprofit focused on building one-to-one friendships and inclusion for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, the campus chapter brings that mission into real spaces. And Buddy Ball is the event that brings it all together.
“Buddy Ball is something that our buddies look forward to every year,” stated membership coordinator Maggie Seidel.
The music stayed constant, conversations overlapped with dancing, and there wasn’t really a separation between “students” and “buddies” in the way you might expect.
“One of my favorite memories from the Buddy Ball is singing ‘Take Me Home, Country Roads’ with one of the buddies, Larry,” stated exec member Nick Gelardi.
That night in order to show his appreciation, Larry gave a speech for all the graduating seniors. The room shifted for a second as everyone listened. He dedicated three songs to them and everyone danced around the seniors.
That balance between fun and meaning is kind of what defines the event.
“When we get all the buddies together for a night like Buddy Ball, we just want them to have a good time and feel loved and appreciated for who they are,” Seidel said.
“Events like Buddy Ball make a bigger impact than just one night,” Seidel explained. “It gets everybody up and moving, talking to people they might not normally talk to. New friendships are made, we learn more about each other, and overall it’s just a really good night.”
For students involved, that impact sticks.
“I would have never thought that some of the most important people to me in college would be adults from the community,” Seidel said. “Best Buddies is really about the friendships we build.” Seidel encourages all students to get involved and make new connections. 
Contact [email protected] to get matched with a buddy!
