Best Buddies is hosting its annual friendship walk tomorrow starting at 10:00 a.m. and ending at 12:00 p.m. The event will be following all COVID-19 guidelines to ensure maximum participant safety. Although the friendship walk would normally consist of all Best Buddies chapters in North Texas, due to the pandemic, each school has to conduct the event on their own.

“We are expecting a turnout of about 40 people,” chapter president and senior Paige Ripberger said. “Even if less people show up then anticipated, because we have to conduct our own individual walks with our individual school, I’m still looking forward to the outcome.”

Hoping to attract all members of the community, the event will feature more than just a walk.

“We will have other outdoor events such as spikeball and we will also be doing a huge raffle toward the end of the event,” Ripberger said. “I think that it will be fun for those that choose to attend.”

Junior Tushamma Rahim believes that attending the walk is a great way to not only spread awareness but to also support her community in the process.

“The friendship walk is such an influential event that manages to affect so many people’s lives,” Rahim said. “Even though the event couldn’t occur with the grandeur that it usually would, I’m glad that I still get to be a part of it and support my community, even if it’s a small contribution.”

Ultimately, the walk aims to spread Best Buddies’ main message of inclusion.

“We hope to support inclusion and celebrate diversity despite our differences,” chapter treasurer and senior Carter Bianchin said. “I can’t wait to see our buddies and peers walking together for inclusion. We’re here to show support for our peer buddies here at Liberty and across the world.”