By Melanie Jacob
Journal Editor
[email protected]
With the arrival of September, the City of Humboldt has once again declared this month as Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) month. As such, the organization is once again bringing awareness and recruitment to the city.
"Right now, we have a need for little girls," said Stacey Poss, marketing and recruitment coordinator for BBBS Humboldt and Area. "We have big sisters waiting and we always have need for big brothers."
BBBS hasn't been sitting idle all year either. They've been doing fun things for the littles such as having them put out radio ads and setting up presentations for the schools. Thanks to donations from sponsors, one match was even able to attend a Katy Perry concert.
At the current moment, the BBBS branch in Humboldt is also at an all time high with 12 traditional matches.
To celebrate their success so far, they'll be having a wine and cheese event this month to which they are inviting local partners and supporters in the community. The event will include awards for mentor of the year, volunteer of the year, youth of the year, and the champion award. Some of the littles will be speaking publicly at this event, which will not only help them learn leadership skills, but also help encourage gain more bigs.
"It's helping us recruit for kids on our waiting list by speaking to the experience of what mentorship means to them," said Poss. "We'll be getting Toastmasters involved in helping the kids speak."
To add to this, leaders in the BBBS program will be helping teach the kids what it's like to be at a formal event in terms of appropriate attire and behaviour.
"A little bit of etiquette really lends to their confidence because they're a little intimidated by formal events," said Poss.
Furthermore, because BBBS Humboldt is now a satellite for BBBS Saskatoon, they are able to better develop relationships such as with the schools in Lanigan. Summer holidays means there are still a few administrative kinks to work out, but Poss is positive that these will work themselves now that school has begun.
"We had a great summer too. There was the Sask Rider game, which was sponsored by the Roughriders and the Co-op," said Poss. "The littles also got to go fishing thanks to Discovery Ford, who lent us a finishing boat."
According to Poss, the goal for 2014 is to serve 65 children in total between the various programs. Right now, they're currently serving about 35, not including the in-school mentoring. Once school begins, they're hoping to meet that goal.
