Good Friend Video Receives National Award

Editor’s Note: The following article came from a news release sent to Patch by Good Friend.

The Autism Society of Bethesda, MD is giving Good Friend, Inc., co- founders Chelsea Budde, of Waukesha, and Denise Schamens, of Brookfield, its Media Excellence for Video, Print or News Award at its 42nd Annual National Conference and Exposition on Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) next month in Orlando for their middle school autism awareness and peer acceptance film, “Choosing To Be a GFF [Good Friend Forever],” according to a news release.

Budde and Schamens, who were responsible for everything on the project from writing to creative direction and production, debuted the film in a public screening in March at Carroll University.

Three days later, it was on its way to the Autism Society’s headquarters with a nomination essay from Jennifer Townsend, of Waukesha, one of Good Friend’s board directors and autism consultant for Cooperative Educational Service Agency in Pewaukee for consideration for the national honor.

“This award isn’t just a nod from the industry’s leading organization, but also an affirmation of our mission and the hard work Chelsea and I have poured into Good Friend for the past four years,” Schamens said in the release.

The local mothers will share it with the cast and crew of the film at a special reception before their Annual Membership Meeting in September.