Best Buddies campaigns to end use of ‘retarded’

Best Buddies, a club that enables college students to develop relationships with people with mental and developmental disabilities, organized an event called “Spread the Word to End the Word” aimed at reducing the use of the word “retarded” in a derogatory manner.

The group set up a table from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday outside Ballantine Hall. It had a banner for people to sign to pledge to stop using the word and gave those who donated money T-shirts.

About halfway through the day, junior and club member Brittany Glaze said the group had obtained about 40 signatures.

“It’s been great,” Glaze said. “People were swarming up here. The support has been awesome, and it’s good to see the campus agrees. We want to raise awareness all the time.”

Junior Chris Mattson stopped by the table Wednesday.

“I figured it’s a good cause and an important initiative,” Mattson said. “A lot of people don’t always think of the implications of what they are saying.”

Freshman Audrey Albright donated money. She said she has an aunt with a mental disability, and she likes to show support for causes she believes in.

“I seriously think the word ‘retarded’ is not OK,” Albright said.
Junior Miguel Lopez said he stopped by because of a friend.

“She’s my friend,” he said. “If she’s gonna take up a cause, I’ll help her out. It’s nice to stop the derogatory terms. The ‘n-word’ was a negative word for a
long time.”
Best Buddies is both a club at IU and an international nonprofit
organization.
The national “Spread the Word” day was March 7 and was put on by Best Buddies International and the Special Olympics. IU’s Best Buddies event was sponsored by the Panhellenic Association, which gave the club funds to buy banners, some of which were hung outside sorority houses.  
“We usually try to do something that is fun,” freshman and club publicist Ben Stivers said.
Students who sign up to be college buddies must meet with their buddies twice a month and contact them once every week.
Stivers was involved with Best Buddies for three years in high school. He said he decided to become the publicist because of his love for the organization.
Glaze has been with her buddy, Kimmi, for
two years.
“We’re really close,” she said. “It’s a friendship I really value.”
Glaze said the group organized a “get to know you” party where the college students and buddies met each other before they were paired up. The group also sent out surveys for the students and buddies to write down their interests.
She said Best Buddies has about 40 college students paired with buddies and 100 associate members, who are required to attend as many chapter meetings as possible but are not paired with buddies. She said the number of buddy pairs doubled in the
last year.
“We’ve really done a good job of getting more well known on campus,” Glaze said.
Sophomore and club member Courtney Davies first had an experience with someone with intellectual disabilities when she met her boyfriend’s sister. The relationship Davies developed with her inspired Davies to get involved with Best Buddies at IU, she said. She has been paired with her buddy, Ryan, for two years.
“Ryan definitely had to warm up to me,” Davies said. “He’s always really excited to see me, and it keeps me motivated. It helps me put things in perspective. The second I’m there, it’s just completely worth it.”