The Knox College chapter of Best Buddies, which earlier won Chapter of the Year for Central Illinois, recently earned national recognition for its outstanding volunteer work.

The Knox chapter was among those competing for Best Buddies International's 2014-2015 Overall Outstanding Chapter Award. While the chapter didn't win that award, it was one of just three in Illinois chosen as an Outstanding Chapter during the annual Best Buddies International Leadership Conference in Indiana.

In the spring, the Best Buddies chapter at Knox received the award for Central Illinois' Chapter of the Year. The award is based on the chapter's mission, growth, and community involvement.

Best Buddies is one of several student organizations at Knox that focus on community service.

Through Best Buddies, Knox students who are members of the organization develop one-on-one friendships with members of the Galesburg community who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. Students are paired with residents of homes for people with developmental disabilities, and the Knox chapter of Best Buddies organizes large group meetings, one-on-one activities, and a range of organized events on and off campus.

(Photo above: Members of the 2014-15 executive board for Best Buddies at Knox College.)