Asher Reges meets the Easter Bunny — played by Joey Lowrie — during the inaugural Best Buddies Eggstravaganza at Butler High School on Saturday.Lindsay Orange/submitted photo

More than 200 people came to Butler High School Saturday to support a cause while checking in with the Easter Bunny.

The school’s inaugural Best Buddies Eggstravaganza was a holiday-themed, fun-filled event that aimed to raise money and awareness. Butler’s Best Buddies program promotes inclusion among students through a variety of activities.

“We’re very happy with the turnout out and appreciative of all the sponsors that we had,” said Kaitlyn Reges, a special-education teacher at BHS.

Reges helped co-found the school’s local chapter of Best Buddies this past fall. The club coordinates social activities between the school’s disabled students and the general student population. She added that the goal is to foster friendships by holding one-on-one meetings with students.

In total, the club has 76 members with 19 one-on-one friendships.

The day was filled with activities, including a 5K run, 1-mile fun run/walk, an Easter egg hunt, raffles, and face painting.

“The goal of our fundraising is to provide funds for our students so that they could have one-on-one meetings with each other,” Reges said. “We want to make sure that finances aren’t something holding them back.”

The local club is a chapter of an international organization based in Miami that is dedicated to ending social, physical and economic isolation for 200 million people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Best Buddies creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development, and inclusive living. Additionally, the program helps people secure successful jobs, live independently, improve their public speaking, self-advocacy and communication skills, and feel valued by society.

Butler’s Best Buddies promotes inclusion at the school by helping students with intellectual and developmental disabilities form meaningful friendships with their peers.

Saturday’s Eggstravaganza was at Art Bernardi Stadium and was held to raise money for the program’s activities. Reges said Sunday she hadn’t yet determined how much was raised.

“It was such a success, we’re already planning next year’s Eggstravaganza,” Reges said.