where friendship takes flight
free badminton event
Saturday, August 5, 2023 | 11:00am–1:00pm
Henry James Memorial School Gym
155 Firetown Rd, Simsbury, CT
who we are
birdies & buddies is a social group dedicated to providing a fun and inclusive environment where individuals of mixed abilities can make meaningful friendships through playing badminton, an easily adaptable and innately social sport.
active engagement
Our flagship event is our Badminton events. Twice a year, we assemble our buddies and athletes for a day filled with fun, food, and friendship.
why badminton?
Badminton is an easy sport for anyone to pick up! The shuttlecock moves at a slow pace, the risk of injury is very low, and even those who do not have the best motor skills can have a great time.
building relationships
We also strive to create new bonds between our buddies and athletes. We pride ourselves on bringing together people who otherwise might not get the chance for meaningful interaction.
fundraising
We accept donations for Favarh, a non-profit organization in Canton, CT that provides services for individuals with intellectual, physical, and developmental disabilities.
sponsors
We have been supported by Advance Biomedical Treatment Center, Stop & Shop, Flatbread Company, FroyoWorld, B.good, and Dish 'n Dat. Through their donations and willingness to host fundraisers, they have been instrumental in helping us in our mission. We are very grateful for their contributions to our programs!
upcoming events
Check out our Facebook Page for information on upcoming events! We typically hold our badminton events in August and November each year.
about the founders
our story
The creation of these badminton events were inspired by our eldest brother, Julian. Growing up, we noticed there were only a handful of activities that Julian was really interested in, and he was especially uninterested in sports in general. One summer, about a ten years ago now, our family was visiting a friend's house who had a badminton net set up in their backyard. To our surprise, Julian picked up a racquet and was a complete natural at it. This was the first time he had never really shown any interest in a sport, and we were so happy that he found a new activity that he loved.
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Julian participated in every activity that was offered at his school, but badminton was never an activity that our public schools offered to students with disabilities. We realized that badminton was a sport that many other people would probably also thrive in. Through witnessing Julian's experiences with the programs at school, we thought that there should be more casual environments in which kids and adults with differing abilities could socialize with each other while also potentially discovering a new hobby that they can succeed in.
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- Elaina & Carlo Comia
carlo comia
Co-founder of birdies & buddies
Welcome to our website! I am a 4th year medical student at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) planning to become a Family and Sports Medicine physician. When we started this organization in 2012, Elaina and I had no idea that we would still be hosting badminton events over 10 years after its inception. Having the opportunity to host these clinics and connect with so many members of the disabled community and their families has truly been a fulfilling and humbling experience. It has been a great joy to share our brother Julian’s love for badminton with others, and we hope to continue doing so for the foreseeable future. Looking forward to seeing you on the badminton court!
- Carlo
elaina comia
Co-founder of birdies & buddies
Hello! I am currently a fourth-year college student at Northeastern University pursuing a degree in Graphic and Information Design. I was about 12 years old when Sports4SpecialNeeds was established, and the badminton clinics were actually the very first time I had ever created any sort of graphic design. The logo, flyer, and t-shirt designs have come along way since the first event and I've thoroughly enjoyed continuing to improve our events through design to best represent our mission and goals as an organization.
My favorite part of these events is seeing how people's mood can change entirely from when they walk into the gym to when we are saying our goodbyes. We always have a few individuals who are relatively shy when they first arrive, and by the end of the event, they can't seem to part ways with all of the new friends that they've made.
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- Elaina
julian comia
Co-founder of birdies & buddies
Hi! My name is Julian. I am 28 years old, and badminton is my favorite sport! I love playing badminton with my family and friends, and I hope to see you at one of our events some day.
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- Julian
contact birdies & buddies
We are always looking for new volunteers as well as athletes to get involved! Don't hesitate to contact us if you are interested in joining or have any questions, comments, or concerns.
Email: