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Big
Buddy, Sarah Layman from Anna High School & Little Buddy, Jennifer
Webb daughter of
Tonya Westerheide of Sidney.
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Big Buddy Mentors Make Big Impact in the
Lives of Local Children
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Shelby & Darke County is excited to
announce that another great year of the Big Buddies program is up and
running. This is the eighteenth year the program has been in
place. The Buddies program is an eight-month commitment where
high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors agree to work
with and mentor elementary-aged children two times per month.
During these meetings, the high school students, under the supervision
of Big Brothers Big Sisters staff, work with one or two children on
different educational and recreational activities. This year’s
curriculum is entitled “Earth Friendly Practices”.
The Buddies program is held at four different sites in Shelby County
for the 2017-2018 school year, and additional volunteers are still
needed. These sessions are held at Emerson, Longfellow,
Northwood, and Whittier Elementary Schools in Sidney. This year’s
program kicked off with a total of 61 volunteers from Anna, Botkins,
Christian Academy, Fort Loramie, Jackson Center, Lehman, Russia, &
Sidney. To date, the following high school volunteers for the
2017-2018 include:
Anna: Erica Schulze, Autumn Peterson, Brooke Haynes, Linda
Perkins, Paige Wiktorowski, Laura Conley, Alyza Hoelscher, Shana Roe,
Ashley Ferguson, Marissa VanGorden, Ashley Heitkamp, Amber Stewart,
Sarah Layman, Lauren Stephens, Chloe Sharp, Maura Rose, Elizabeth
Rickert, Elaina Crossen, Kelsie McKinney, Kayleigh Knew, Nylah Crosson,
Liza Michael, Samantha Martin, and Samantha Gratz.
Botkins: Sarah VanBrocklin, Lauren Meyer, Lindsey Okuley, Jillian
Thurmond, and Scotlynn Armstrong.
Christian Academy: Nick Wilson
Fort Loramie: Rachel DeLoye
Jackson Center: Emme Farley, Halie Shroyer, Maddie Yarkoskey, Maelee
Enochs, Jada Yinger, and Regan Davidson.
Lehman: Claire Larger, Grace Dexter, Kaila Sims, Evie Olding, and Reese
Geise.
Russia: Olivia Quinter
Sidney: Rachel Trudeau, Katie Butts, Emma Zerkle, Ryan Allen, Cheyanna
Bolden, Kiara Holiday, Broc Bey, Kazlynn Douglas, Jayden Humphrey,
Emily Sauers, Damien Jones, Blake Blakenship, Taylor Williams, Madisyn
Allen, Madyson Crain, Jennah Spade, Kelly Curlis, and Soleil
Drinnen.
High school mentoring programs have become a widespread component of
many nationally affiliated Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies.
Studies prove that children who spend time with a positive role model
are more likely to become healthy productive adults. The Big
Buddies program has proven beneficial not only for the Littles, but for
the high school volunteers as well.
In addition to the after-school Big Buddies program, the agency has 75
community-based matches throughout Shelby and Darke County. These
matches meet with each other twice a month for outings which are
planned around the volunteers own schedule. The goal of the
community-based program is to match a local child with an adult mentor,
who can serve as a positive role model, and expose the child to
enhancing and uplifting activities. Currently the agency has 11
children waiting for a Big Brother or Sister in the program, so now is
the time to think about how you could put a little sparkle into the
life of a child! If you are interested in becoming a mentor in
our community-based program, please call 937-547-9622 or 937-492-7611
for more information.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Shelby & Darke County is a United Way
member agency and an affiliate of Big Brothers Big Sisters of
America. The Buddies program is partially funded by The Vectren
Foundation Fund, The Community Foundation of Shelby County’s Monarch
Legacy Fund, and Sidney-Shelby County Chamber of Commerce Foundation.
If you would like more information about how to become a volunteer, you
may visit the agency web site at www.bigbrobigsis-shelbydarke.org or
call the Sidney office at 937-492-7611 or the Greenville office at
937-547-9622.
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