Mentors Honored by Virginia State Alliance of Big Brothers Big Sisters

May 3, 2012 - PRLog -- Virginia- May 2, 2012 --- Virginia State Alliance of Big Brothers Big Sisters honors 2012 Big Brother of the Year, Bill Kelley and Big Sister of the Year, Heather Welsh on Thursday, May 10th at 6pm at the CitySpace in Charlottesville, Virginia. Annually, member agencies of the state alliance are encouraged to honor mentors for their commitment and respectively nominate their winners to the state for further recognition. The Alliance consists of thirteen individual Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) agencies throughout the state.
Big Brother Bill Kelley has been matched with Little Brother Marcel for eleven years. A mentor with BBBS of the Central Blue Ridge for over a decade, Kelley recognizes Marcel as a family member, noting that even as their commitment to the program ends when Marcel turns 18, their bond is lifelong. Matching and Outreach Coordinator Tosha Russock shares, “We consider Bill and Marcel a team. Bill has been such a great example of leadership, showing his support to our agency over the years of their match. Mentoring is infectious; we have watched Marcel develop into a young man who is now acting as a mentor to Bill’s grandchildren. Their relationship is what you hope for.”
Big Sister Heather Welsh has been a mentor for eight years to Amanda. Early in their experience, Welsh used to go by her Little Sister’s house and leave notes on the door the day before an outing, just to remind Amanda that Welsh was committed and cared about their time together. Juli Ferrell, Executive Director, shares “Heather has great goals for her little sister, guiding her to finish school, learn how to drive and make plans for her next stage in life. Mentors impact children and may not realize that their commitment is remembered by adults who were once part of the program. I can see Heather and Amanda sharing stories for many years to come.”
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Blue Ridge provides children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported, one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever. Bigs meet with their Little Brother or Little Sister for about two hours each week to share activities that focus on fun and positive youth development. Serving about 100 children in Albemarle County and the City of Charlottesville, they still have a waiting list of 100 more children. To learn more about becoming a Big Brother or Big Sister, contact info@bbbsocbr.org or call 434-244-0882. More information is available at www.bbbsocbr.org.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Winchester, Frederick & Clarke Counties is helping local children facing adversity reach their potential through professionally supported one-to-one mentoring. The vision for 2012 is to serve more than 100 children who have the highest risk factors in Winchester City, Frederick & Clarke Counties by providing mentoring relationships thereby contributing to better schools, brighter futures and stronger communities. Visit www.bbbswinchester.org or facebook.com/BBBSWFC to learn more. Start Something BIG, donate or volunteer today.