The Best Buddies chapter at Knox College has received a statewide award for excellence from the Illinois Health Care Association.

The association gave one of the 2018 IHCA Excellence Awards to Knox's Best Buddies chapter, recognizing it as Community Partnership of the Year for its collaboration with Achievement Unlimited Inc./DD Homes. The Illinois Health Care Association is a non-profit organization consisting of more than 500 licensed and certified long-term care facilities and homes/programs for people who have developmental disabilities.

Through Best Buddies, Knox students are matched with members of the Galesburg community who have intellectual or developmental disabilities. "Buddies" develop one-on-one friendships and engage in a wide range of activities. Best Buddies is an international organization, serving children and adults.

Kristin DiCenso of the Illinois Health Care Association formally presented the award during a brief ceremony on May 15 in Alumni Hall, where Knox's Kleine Center for Community Service is based. "To receive this award, you should feel very proud of yourselves," DiCenso said. "It's a big deal."

Becca Knaack, community liaison and recruitment specialist for Achievement Unlimited/DD Homes, praised the Knox students for their involvement with Best Buddies.

"They are incredible. Their friendships last after they leave school. They still send postcards, they still call their buddies," Knaack said. "These friendships are lifelong, and they mean so much."

She also praised the work of Knox student Samir Khowaja, who has been the 2017-18 president of Best Buddies, saying his leadership has been "awesome." Next year's president will be Jonathan Damota.

Khowaja thanked the IHCA, Knox, Best Buddies, and Kathleen Ridlon, who directs the Kleine Center for Community Service.

He said that once he became familiar with Best Buddies, "I fell in love with the organization, I fell in love with the idea of inclusivity, and I fell in love with making a difference." He added that his Best Buddy, Mark, is like a brother to him.

Ridlon noted that many Knox students want to make a difference by serving people. As a result, she added, "The Kleine Center is a vibrant hub of activity."

She recognized the work of Mark and Jeannette Kleine, who attended the award ceremony, saying: "Thank you for your support of service here."