Amanda Tizio and Ryan Bolla sit in Fuel and Fuddle, joking and poking fun at one another. … Amanda Tizio and Ryan Bolla sit in Fuel and Fuddle, joking and poking fun at one another. ‘Ryan, you’re such a player,’ said Tizio as Bolla discussed his multiple present and ex-girlfriends. ‘I can’t take her anymore,’ said Bolla, pretending to be annoyed. ‘I’m gonna quit you.’ Tizio laughed, and they hugged. When their food came, Tizio cut Bolla’s sandwich for him while he talked about his diet and desire for a new tattoo. He already has one to commemorate his late grandfather. Bolla, 21, is one of 50 people with intellectual disabilities who meet with Pitt students through the Best Buddies organization. Best Buddies, which draws participants from colleges, the workplace, high schools and middle schools, creates one-on-one friendships by pairing buddies through chapter organizations across the country. Tizio, a junior, is president of Pitt’s chapter and has been involved with the organization since her freshman year. ‘The buddies are infectious,’ said Tizio. ‘When you meet them, you want to be their friends, and they want to be yours.’ Alexis Miller, the program coordinator for Best Buddies in Western Pennsylvania, said that each college group has a host site. Pitt’s chapter works with City Connections, a transition school for people with intellectual disabilities. Teachers at the school, which is actually a house, help students learn practical life skills, including cooking, cleaning and managing bank accounts, in addition to helping them find jobs. ‘Most of the time, the college students and buddies get along really well,’ said Miller. ‘You can tell when you go to their events that the students really care about Best Buddies.’ Angela Curcio, Best Buddies’ vice president and a Pitt sophomore, has been in the organization for two years. Before joining Best Buddies, she did community service to help children with Down syndrome. ‘I’ve always enjoyed helping people with intellectual disabilities,’ she said. Tizio personally interviews all the college students who want to get involved in the organization and then talks to the host site coordinator at City Connections to find pairs they think will mesh well together. ‘[The process] does take quite awhile, but it’s worth it,’ said Tizio. ‘We get a lot more quality matches.’ In addition to the interviews, students must fill out a matching survey detailing their interests, hobbies and availability. The buddies fill out the same surveys and go through the same interview process. After Tizio and City Connections make a match, the new buddies contact each other once a week and hang out twice a month. Tizio said most buddies call or text each other, and sometimes talk through e-mail. Pitt’s Best Buddies holds a group activity once a month to give all its members a chance to get together. In the past they’ve gone to the Science Center, Pitt games and movie premieres. It’s up to the buddies to organize the other activity. Tizio said the most popular activities include bowling, movies and going to lunch or dinner. Tizio and Bolla often go to the mall, where Bolla has her listen to the newest rap albums, and she makes him help her pick out an outfit from Forever 21, her favorite store. She said Bolla always beats her when they go bowling because he’s so good that he’s on the Special Olympics bowling team. Curcio said her buddy, Terrance Wood, enjoys going to church. ‘I showed him St. Paul’s Cathedral, and he was amazed,’ she said. Wood also enjoyed the variety of food at Market Central when she used one of her meal passes to take him there. Once a month, Curcio sends out friendship updates to ensure that the buddies fulfill their duties. Tizio calls any members who don’t respond and said that most of the time problems arise from scheduling conflicts rather than personality conflicts. Miller said that both the buddy and the student have to be dedicated for the program to work. ‘Sometimes, it’s hard to get together with your buddy at certain times of the year,’ she said, ‘but it’s a commitment.’ Although college students can’t stay involved with Best Buddies after graduation, Tizio said most stay in touch. Best Buddies International has a citizens’ program that allows people unaffiliated with a school to participate. The organization, however, doesn’t offer the program in Pennsylvania. Miller said that the state lacks many of Best Buddies’ programs, like the citizens’ program, because of funding. ‘I would really like to [have one], but I don’t see it happening any time soon,’ said Miller. Best Buddies also holds a 12-hour scavenger hunt each year in March to raise money. The fundraiser is called Midnight Madness and runs from noon to midnight. This will be its second year, and anyone can participate. People are grouped into teams, and each team sets its own fundraising goal. Miller said they expect teams do things like get a picture taken with a stranger or see how many people can fit into an elevator. ‘It has the potential to be a lot of fun,’ said Miller. ‘It’s different than just selling candy.’ There are prizes for the winners, but Miller said the prizes come after the fun and fundraising goal. Back in Fuel and Fuddle, Tizio shivered in her red Best Buddies T-shirt. ‘It’s so cold when the door opens,’ she said. ‘No, it’s not,’ argued Bolla. ‘I’m blocking it for you,’ said Tizio. Bolla gave her a hug.