Page 10 - maY 26, 2016 - martensville messenger
Theodore’s Bakery
and Coffee Shop
saskatoonbakery.ca
Marcy Cross,
Martensville Messenger
Although everyone has
likely heard of the Big
Brothers
Big
Sisters
(BBBS) program; most
don’t
realize
exactly
what the program entails.
Big Brothers Big Sisters
of Saskatoon and Area
offers traditional one-onone matches to kids and
volunteers throughout the
Saskatoon area, as well as
providing programming
and matches for Youth
In Care, Go Girls and
In-School
Mentoring.
Through this program, ‘life
changing
relationships
are formed that help to
inspire and empower
children and youth to reach
their potential, both as
individuals and citizens,’
the website states.
The essence of what BBBS
offers to matches is a
connection. Volunteers are
matched to young people
who need something
and someone extra in
their lives. Volunteers
are given the chance to
get to know a child and
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Benefits of Big Brothers Big Sisters
potentially change that
child’s life. Matches spend
time together going to
movies, going on walks,
and talking. Kids are given
an adult whose focus is
on them, not a sibling or
sometimes just getting
through the day. These
relationships can last
for the rest of a match’s
lifetimes.
Kim
Megyesi,
the
Executive Director for
Big Brothers Big Sisters
of Saskatoon, explained
that people interested in
volunteering, who live in
communities surrounding
Saskatoon
such
as;
Martensville, Warman and
Dalmeny are welcome to
apply. Parents in these areas
also have the opportunity
to enroll their children
in the program. “Ideally
we try to match children
and volunteers that are
in the same communites
because the challenge that
we face is that when we
have a family, which we
do in Dalmeny, it can be
difficult to get the match
and the child together,”
Kim stated. She added
that the father of the
five girls in Dalmeny
is very committed to
bringing his children into
Saskatoon to meet with
their ‘Bigs’. “It works for
that particular family.”
David Brown, who is the
father of five daughters
living in Dalmeny, is
extremely grateful for
the BBBS program.
His daughters Alana,
Alesha, Ally, Aleida, and
Alrheanna along with the
girl’s grandmother Joyce,
keep the house hopping.
Brown first contacted
BBBS nearly three years
ago and his daughters had
received a match within
six months of applying.
In the past three years,
Brown explained that
there have been some
wonderful Big Sisters
that have been introduced
into his daughter’s lives.
The volunteers have been
welcomed to take part
in Grade 8 Graduations,
family holidays and many
other everyday activities.
“I’m a single parent and
my mother helps out with
everything, which allows
me to be a single parent.
At the time we applied
Alana was in Girl Guides
and when she went to an
activity, she was the only
one there without a mom.
I can only be what I am,”
Bro wn commented. “If you
get the right match, that has
the right amount of time, it
works. One of our matches
lives in Martensville, and
the others have been in
Saskatoon. I put in a lot of
miles getting the girls to the
matches but it’s worth it,”
Brown continued.
Through BBBS, the girls
have also been able to
participate in some fantastic
opportunities.
Brown
and two of his daughters
were able to join in at a
Toyota kartSTART day,
which Brown described
as a highlight. “Kathy
Hauser, who is the Director
of Service Delivery for
BBBS, introduced us to
the Creative Kids program.
Through them Alesha and
Aleida were able to take
piano lessons. Alana and
ABOVE: Big Brothers Big Sisters is beneficial for all ages.
Ally have taken hip hop
lessons. Alrheanna and
I have taken an art class,
which I went to because
she was too young to
go on her own. BBBS
also introduced up to the
Canadian Tire Jumpstart
program and the girls
have been able to take part
in a number of physical
activities.”
BBBS offers activities
throughout the year for
the ‘Bigs’ and ‘Littles’ to
take part in. In June they
will be hosting a volunteer
appreciation day, as BBBS
is always looking for ways
to show their volunteers
how much they value
them. Volunteers are
necessary in order to
keep up with the need,
and boys can often wait
years before they are
matched to a volunteer.
All
volunteers
are
asked to sign up for a
minimum of one year,
though most matches
remain together or in
contact for much longer.
For more information
on BBBS you can check
out the website at www.
bbbssaskatoon.org or
call (306)-244-8197.
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Enjoy the lock-and-leave
condo lifestyle…
• Concrete foors provide
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• Comprehensive fire sprinkler
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• Heated, secure, ground-