What is Friendsgiving? Friendsgiving is just like Thanksgiving; it’s all about togetherness and gratitude. The only difference is that instead of surrounding yourself with family, you surround yourself with all of the friends you’re thankful for. On November 25, the last full school day before Thanksgiving break, the Best Buddies club did just that!
Every year, before Thanksgiving break starts, students and staff, all a part of the Best Buddies club, come together to celebrate the upcoming holiday with each other. The entry ticket is writing down one thing you’re thankful for on a paper feather and taping it to the turkey drawn onto the whiteboard.
After everyone had finished writing down what they were thankful for, it was time to dig into all the fantastic food. Many people bring their own dishes, ranging from savory snacks like chips and salsa to delicious desserts, such as cakes and cupcakes, decorated to look like little turkeys. Among the appetizers and sweets, there was also turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and other classic Thanksgiving foods.
Although all the food was fantastic, one of the best parts of the Friendsgiving celebration was the activities. There were coloring pages and games for everyone to play. One particularly intense game of UNO brought together 10 players! Not only was it the biggest game of UNO I’d ever seen, but many others who also agreed were trying to catch a glimpse of this enormous game.
When asked about Friendsgiving, attendees all had very positive feedback. “It was my first Best Buddies event, and I thought it was really fun. The atmosphere was awesome and everyone there was really nice,” said Teighan Ricci-Milton, a newly joined member of the Best Buddies club. “The food was amazing, my favorite was the stuffing. The stuffing was really great.”
Another member of the Best Buddies club, Anthony Fidler, said, “Friendsgiving was a great event to be with my friends. I even got to have an arm wrestling match with some of the other students there, and it was great.” When asked what his favorite food was, he said, “The food, the food was great. I loved the turkey, and all of the sweets were my favorite.”
Thanks to the special education department, Ms. Wojnas, Mr. Mellekas, Ms. Feeley, Ms. Payne, Ms. Swanson, and all of the students who are part of the Best Buddies club. Friendsgiving ended up being an amazing event that was enjoyed by many!
