Be a Friend to Kareem: How Willow Grove Showed Up for a 17-Year-Old's First Birthday Party with Friends
In Willow Grove, one young man’s birthday became a reason for neighbors to come together around something simple and important: friendship.
Kareem Bayoumy turned 17 this fall. He loves music and dancing, Broadway, Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, Aladdin, games, and Philadelphia sports. Kareem has Down syndrome, autism, and apraxia of speech, and has experienced bullying, exclusion, and social isolation. As his mother, Maryanne Bayoumy, shared on the event page, no friend had ever come to his birthday, and he had never been invited to a peer’s party.
So the community gathered to change what a birthday could feel like.
On Sunday, October 25, 2026, families and neighbors were invited to Crestmont Park in Willow Grove for “Be a Friend to Kareem,” a community birthday celebration organized by the CHERAB Foundation through its Circle of Friends program. The event’s purpose was more than marking another year. It was an invitation to show up, make room, and help a young person feel welcomed.
A birthday gathering with a bigger purpose
The celebration took place at Crestmont Park, 2595 Rubicam Ave, Willow Grove. The afternoon brought together live music and dancing, games, food, and an Eagles-themed birthday cake. Those are familiar ingredients for a birthday party, but the meaning behind this gathering made it special.
The party was the gathering point. Friendship was the goal.
CHERAB’s Circle of Friends is an anti-bullying and inclusion initiative that brings communities together around young people who have experienced exclusion or isolation. It creates an opportunity to put acceptance into practice: meet one another, share an activity, and make the choice to include someone who deserves to belong.
Lisa Geng, president of the CHERAB Foundation, described the purpose this way: “The party itself is the mechanism. We bring people together around one child, raise awareness about differences, foster acceptance and compassion, and give children a chance to experience inclusion in action. The party lasts a few hours. The message and connections last far longer.”
That message is easy to understand and worth carrying beyond a single afternoon. Inclusion is not only an idea to support from a distance. It can begin with an introduction, an invitation, or simply choosing to spend time together.
A small contribution from BPRevents
Boricua Party Rentals LLC d/b/a BPRevents was proud to contribute three games for Kareem’s celebration: Cornhole, Giant Jenga, and Giant Connect Four.
Games can offer an easy way for people to connect. They give guests something to do together: a shared challenge, a turn to take, a reason to cheer someone on. We hoped these family-friendly activities would help make the gathering more welcoming and give neighbors a natural way to spend time together.
We were grateful for the chance to support a local family and a cause rooted in community. BPRevents serves Willow Grove, Abington Township, and surrounding Montgomery County communities from its Roslyn base. Being able to contribute to an event close to home made this a meaningful opportunity for our team.
A village showed up
No community celebration comes together through one person or one organization alone. CHERAB hosted the event through its Circle of Friends program, with major event support from Little Smiles PA and contributions from many other local supporters.
Among those recognized by the organizers were the Eagles Autism Foundation, Weinrich’s Bakery, Ann’s Cake Pan, Rose Williams of Memories Created for You, Little Things By Lia, Station Pizza II, Philly Pretzel Factory, and Whole Foods Market Jenkintown. Each contribution was part of a wider effort to make Kareem feel welcomed and celebrated.
We’re grateful to have been included among those supporters. The occasion was a reminder that community care can take many forms: sharing a skill, providing food, helping with decorations, bringing a game, or taking time to be present.
Kareem’s story reached beyond Willow Grove
In the days before the celebration, local news outlets helped share Kareem’s invitation to friendship. CBS Philadelphia reporter Wakisha Bailey’s segment about Kareem aired on Friday, October 23; the event page also noted that CBS planned to film at Sunday’s celebration. You can watch the CBS Philadelphia segment here.
Kareem’s story was also shared by Glenside Local, MONTCO.Today, PHILADELPHIA.Today, VISTA.Today, and The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Greater Abington newsletter. That coverage helped more people learn about the gathering and its purpose: friendship, inclusion, and standing up to bullying and exclusion.
Maryanne’s words remain at the heart of the event: “I am not looking for material gifts for Kareem. If even one real friendship came from this event, it would mean everything to him, and to me.”
It is a powerful reminder that what matters most is not what is wrapped or placed on a table. It is the connection that may begin when someone chooses to show up.
Keep showing up
The most lasting way to honor “Be a Friend to Kareem” is to carry its invitation into everyday life. Keep making space for people. Keep reaching out. Keep being a friend, not only at celebrations, but in classrooms, neighborhoods, workplaces, and the small moments when someone could use a welcome.
For local families and organizations planning a gathering of their own, BPRevents offers tents, tables, chairs, and lawn games for birthdays and community events in Montgomery and Bucks County. Delivery and pickup are included for table-and-chair rentals; Friday or Saturday events are delivered Friday evening or Saturday morning, with pickup Sunday or Monday. Bookings are confirmed once the deposit is paid. Please note that cocktail tables are not in our inventory.
And if you have rented from BPRevents, we welcome you to share your experience on Google. Your feedback helps neighbors find a local resource. This week, though, the message we’ll remember most is the one Kareem’s family and the community brought to Willow Grove: friendship begins when we choose to show up.
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