ISU students treated mentally challenged Ames community residents to an afternoon of wrapping paper, bows, scissors and tape, as they wrapped presents for donations from customers at a book store Wednesday.

The Best Buddies club is a group of ISU students who are matched with the residents. The students and their buddies do activities together throughout the year. The group was formed in 2002 and has a membership of about 20 members.

“We got the idea [to wrap presents] here because my high school did it last year in Des Moines,” said Kaci Olson, a member of the Best Buddies Club and freshman in elementary education.

The group arrived at Borders, 1200 S. Duff Ave., at 4 p.m. but none of the “community buddies” were present.

“I think that many of the [community] buddies have jobs until 5 p.m.; some of them may come later,” said Nicole Noonan, president of the club and junior in graphic design.

“Club members are required to call or e-mail their buddies at least once a week and go out with them once a month. [Buddies] will do something together like bowling or shopping … things you do with your friends,” Noonan said.

The Best Buddies club had a “meet your buddy” party at the beginning of the semester, and a Halloween party at the Moose Lodge in October.

“I think the funnest thing my buddy and I have done was the “meet your buddy” party. The [community] buddies loved Cy,” Noonan said.

The club works directly with human service organizations Mainstream Living and the Arc of Story County. Both of are non-profit organizations that provide the club with community participants they think will be compatible for the program.

“I think that everyone has a lot of fun,” said Kris Eastman, director of community based funding at Mainstream Living. “It gives [community buddies] a chance to meet new people that aren’t paid employees. I think it’s a great program.”

Students who want to be a part of the group are matched with a compatible buddy after completing an application and having a short interview and are paired with the same buddy for one year, Noonan said.