Fourteen-year-old Ellie Clifford of Cumberland wanted her friends at North Yarmouth Academy to be more comfortable socializing with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities like her 20-year-old sister Caitlin Williams, who is a member of Best Buddies.

With that goal, Clifford started a Best Buddies chapter at NYA this fall, raised funds for 10 weeks and was named Champion of the Year at Best Buddies Maine’s annual gala Oct. 25 at Thompson’s Point.

“I want people with (intellectual and developmental disabilities) be more involved with the things we get to do that they might otherwise not,” Clifford said.

About 620 people attended the evening of dinner, bidding and dancing. Eleven community supporters and their mission partners competed to rack up the highest fundraising total through supporters’ auction bids and donation commitments. Clifford and Williams brought in an impressive $64,000 of the total $300,000 raised to support the nonprofit in fostering friendships between people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities, including Down syndrome, autism, Fragile X, Williams syndrome and other undiagnosed disabilities.

From Biddeford to Bangor, Best Buddies Maine has 45 school chapters – up from just four chapters six years ago – and four Citizens chapters for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

“We go bowling and go see new movie releases, especially Disney ones,” said Garrett Trufant of Portland, who is matched with Brandon Pierce, a Citizens member from Standish.

For Best Buddies Bangor Area Citizens member Kristi Fournier, attending the gala was a dream come true, complete with a corsage and a tiara. Her mother, Stephanie Fournier, said, “It was so worth the money, the ride and the effort. We will go again next year, for sure. She happy-cried most of the night. She saw many friends and, as usual, made some new ones, including Miss Maine and Mrs. Maine, who invited her to volunteer with them.”

A highlight for the Fourniers was hearing Marlana VanHoose, a powerhouse vocalist and keyboard player who has been blind from birth, belt out inspirational hits “This Is Me,” “Don’t Stop Believing” and “We Are the Champions.”

“The importance of programs like this is inclusion, and tonight’s theme is Let Inclusion Grow. That’s what it’s all about,” said board member Jennifer Weber of Yarmouth. “My youngest daughter was born with intellectual and development disabilities. It has been important for me to join and support an organization that gave her opportunities to be among her peers and participate in programs that she may not otherwise be invited.”

In addition to matching hundreds of Mainers in one-to-one friendships, Best Buddies Maine recently launched a job skills program called Transitions for students ages 14-21. “We go into local high schools and help the staff there work with students with intellectual and developmental disabilities on job skills and job preparedness for after their graduation,” said Caroline Kiddie.

Transitions is supported by corporate partner Unum, which was a signature sponsor of the gala along with Royal River Natural Foods.

Amy Paradysz is a freelance writer and photographer from Scarborough. She can be reached at amyparadysz@gmail.com.