Messy Games was hosted by Best Buddies on March 28 after four years without the event, to promote inclusivity with the goal of becoming as messy as possible .

“It is disorganized fun,” Best Buddies sponsor Melanie Newberry said. “It is appealing to people because you get to run around and act crazy.” 

Due to COVID-19, the event was stopped six years ago. It was brought back once since then in 2022. Current officers including senior Avani Srivastava worked to bring it back. 

“Our president, Avani, really wanted to bring it back,” Best Buddies treasurer Patrick Liu said. “She taught us about it and it sounded fun so we all supported her.”

The event was hosted outside with games utilizing shaving cream, Holi powder and water guns. Clubs were responsible for planning and carrying out their games.

“We asked for donations from our members and also brought stuff that we had,” Siyona Johnson, Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) vice president of external affairs, said. “Having fun and doing good stuff for our community also supports good health and well being, something SDG stands for.” 

It was advertised through flyers with about 12 clubs and organizations participating. 

“I helped to make flyers about the event and coordinate with other clubs,” Liu said. “On the day of the event, I helped bring props and clubs set up their booths.” 

The club prioritizes exposing buddies to social interactions. Events like Messy Games where community and inclusion are encouraged help accomplish this goal. 

“It started as a way to bring our school culture together because inclusion has to be talked about and be an awareness,” Newberry said. “If Best Buddies opens its doors, hosts these events and wants others to join then the idea of inclusion spreads.”