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BU's Best Buddies chapter and the BUA collect and wrap 5,000 books

On December 1, more than 200 Boston University alumni and students joined forces with Best Buddies International for the Best Buddies Book Blowout. Volunteers sorted and gift-wrapped 5,000 children's books donated by BU alumni and other sponsors, including Radio Disney and Barnes & Noble, to give to needy children this holiday season. The book drive will benefit Reach Out and Read, a national organization begun at MED that distributes children's books to pediatric facilities in an effort to promote literacy at an early age. David Cohen (LAW'73), mayor of Newton, was on hand to thank the volunteers and to support his alma mater.

Founded in 1987 by Anthony Kennedy Shriver, Best Buddies International -- with chapters on more than 500 college and high school campuses in the United States and Canada -- enables one-to-one friendships between college and high school student volunteers and people with developmental disabilities. This year marks the 10th anniversary of BU's chapter of Best Buddies.

Former MED prof honored at symposium

MED Professor Emeritus Benjamin Kaminer, former chairman of the department of physiology, was honored last month at a symposium held in his name.

Aram Chobanian, dean of MED and provost of the Medical Campus, read from a proclamation by Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino citing Kaminer's 30 years of academic leadership and advancement of biomedical research. The mayor declared November 6, 2001, Dr. Benjamin Kaminer Day in Boston.

In 1998, Kaminer received the University's Scholar/Teacher of the Year award. He was also honored with MED's Stanley L. Robbins Award for Excellence in Teaching -- a prize whose recipient is determined by students. He began teaching at MED in 1970 and has taught over 5,000 medical, dental, and graduate students.

7 December 2001
Boston University
Office of University Relations