By Troy Hemingway
Patti Price, executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Tri-State, is all about the children.
"It does not take a lot of money or time, because it is the small things that can make an impact," Price said. "It is a wonderful thing to make an impact on a child's life."
Price has worked at Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Tri-State for 31 years and has truly enjoyed her job.
Big Brothers Big Sisters was established nationally in 1910 in Cincinnati by Irvin Westheimer. According to the Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Tri-State's Web site, the local branch of the organization was established in 1974 by a small group of citizens who were concerned about the well-being of children growing up in broken homes.
The mission of the organization is to provide help and structure to youth through a one-to-one relationship with volunteers who assist them in achieving up to their potential.
Big Brothers Big Sisters has two main programs: community-based mentoring and school-based mentoring.
Community-based mentoring is a program in which the "Big" or volunteer is screened and matched with a child who is in need of support and guidance. The Big can then pick up his or her little brother or sister and take them to different places around the community -- such as the park, movies or out to lunch -- as long as there is parental permission. According to the Web site, the main goal of this program is friendship.
School-based mentoring is a program in which the volunteers spend 1 hour a week with their little brother or sister for the entire school year. Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Tri-State reaches out to many schools in the area, including schools in Cabell, Wayne, Boyd, and Greenup Counties.
“One hour a week such as a lunch hour spent reading and helping a child with some homework can go a long way," Price said.
With programs such as these that require the work of volunteers, it is always a priority to recruit new people to volunteer their time and effort. The Tell-a-Guy campaign, for example, is a campaign addressing the shortage of male volunteers.
Like any non-profit organization, fundraising is important at Big Brothers Big Sisters.
United Way of the River Cities provided Big Brothers Big Sisters$25,000 in general funding as well as a $15,000 impact grant.
One of Big Brothers Big Sisters’ biggest fundraisers each year is the annual Christmas tree sale, which began Nov. 28.
No comments:
Post a Comment