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Education, Arts,
Health Care Community
Big Brothers Big Sisters...
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Shelby and Darke County continues to focus
on our mission to provide children facing adversity with strong and
enduring, professionally supported one-to-one relationships that change
their lives for the better, forever. Our vision is that all
children achieve success in life.
The after-school mentoring program, “Big Buddies” launched the
2011-2012 school year with 128 high school volunteers. Buddy
programs are established in Longfellow, Northwood, and Whittier
elementary schools in Sidney, as well as, Woodland Heights Elementary
School in Greenville, and Versailles Elementary School in Darke
County. As in past years, the program continues to promote social
and educational enhancing activities, as well as, personal
safety. In 2011, the agency closed out the year serving a total
of 139 children through our core community program.
In an effort to help defray the increased cost of the programs, the
agency received grant funding from Vectren Foundation and DP&L Co.
Foundation, as well as other local donations.
Forty-five percent of the operating funds for both counties is derived
from Shelby and Darke County United Way agencies. Additional
sources of revenue come from the upcoming annual “Bowl For Kids’ Sake”
set for March 2 & 4, 2012, at Bel-Mar Lanes in Sidney and McBo’s
Lanes in Versailles. This event will offer many great specialty
prizes, including Cincinnati Reds tickets, Newport Aquarium tickets,
golf certificates, along with local restaurant and retail gift
certificates. This event is open to the public where local
community members can form 4 – 5 person teams. Each team member
collects donations and comes out to enjoy the party. Corporate
Sponsorships are available for $600, where a company enters a
five-person team of the company’s employees; this includes a company
lane banner and the company logo on the t-shirts. A T-shirt
Sponsorship is $400 and includes the company logo on 500 event
t-shirts. The Team Sponsorship for $300 allows a company to enter
a five-person team. A Lane Sponsorship for $125 includes the
company name placed on a large banner above one of the lanes during the
day-long event. Prizes are also sought for the event.
Corporate sponsor names are announced throughout the day.
The other major fundraiser is our Annual Duck Race and 5K Run in Tawawa
Park. In 2011, the agency launched more than 2,700 rubber ducks,
adopted by local community members. The first place duck and its’
owner took home a $1,000 shopping spree. This year the race is set for
Thursday, June 21, 2012. The agency 5k run had over 440
participants in its fifth annual event.
More information about the agency can be found at www.bigbrobigsis-shelbydarke.org
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