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Award Winners ReFocus Team Leadership Award

Dream Builders

ReFocus is excited to present the 2015 Team Leadership Award to the ReFocus Dream Builders!

The Dream Builders are an extra ordinary group of women and men dedicated to furthering the mission of ReFocus by raising money for our Capital Campaign Fund, the folk’s Dream Grants and for Sister Pat’s Place.

            This group of hard-working and fun-loving individuals have raised over $ 350,000 in the past three years! These energetic, happy and loyal people have created wonderful events for the ReFocus Family and Community.  Each spring, the Dream Builders plan the Spring Fling dinner and dance, complete with 40+ baskets for the Penny Social and more raffles.  Their biggest undertaking each year is the ReFocus Annual Gala & Auction which has become our signature event with a very faithful following.  This fabulous group of people pound the pavements of every city and town, near and far, to request donations of prizes for the Auction.

            We thank this wonderful group of leaders and workers.  We thank you for your tenacity and love for the folks and for ReFocus!

Congratulations!

2018 Team Leadership Award Winners - Best Buddies

 
 
ReFocus is thrilled to give the Brown University Best Buddies Program the 2018 Team Leadership Award. BESTBUDDIES® builds one-to-one friendships between people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). ReFocus has been involved in the Best Buddies Program for the last four years. Two years ago, ​we were matched with Brown University and that is when we really began to benefit from the program.
 
We work closely with Ben Martel, the Chapter President for Brown. Through his leadership, the
Best Buddies Program has grown and excelled. He and his team recruit students, make the matches,engage in fund raising activities, and plan the events. Forty-six students at Brown University participate in the Best Buddies Program.

Emily MacLaughlin is the Buddy Director for ReFocus and Julie Derosier is the Host Site
Coordinator. Emily has the responsibility of reaching out to her peers and encouraging them to join and attend activities. Julie works with Ben to ensure that the matches and activities are successful.

This year, we have twenty-six matches. The Brown University students and ReFocus folks exchange contact information and plan events together. The goal is to have a monthly outing with their individual buddy. Most of the buddy pairs are strong and successful. The folks are thrilled to have a friend that they can hang out with. Some of the individual activities they participated in include going out to dinner, for ice cream, walks around the East Side, holiday activities, cookie baking, going out for manicures and assisting with fundraising activities. In addition, monthly group activities are organized. The group of friends participated in many activities such as: a friendship walk, game day at Brown, attended a basketball game at Brown, had a St Patrick’s Day party, went bowling, and attended the Best Buddies Ball.
 
Individual commitment to a group effort is what makes a team work. There is a great deal of workand organization that goes into each activity. We are so grateful to Ben Martel, Emily MacLaughlin,and Julie Derosier for their energies and guidance to make this team and program a success.

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