A Role Model and Best Friend

BIG NEWS
November 2015
Volume 9, No. 3
(574) 232-9958
www.bbbs-sjc.org
Having a mentor
makes a BIG
difference!
Be a part of something BIG in 2015
and become a mentor. Being a Big
Brother or Big Sister is one of the most
enjoyable things you’ll ever do. Not
to mention, one of the most fulfilling.
You have the opportunity to help
shape a child’s future for the better by
empowering him or her to achieve.
So why not apply to be a Big? There
are dozens of kids on our wait list that
are ready
to get started. Are you?
Go to “www.becomeabig.net” today
to start your journey as a mentor.
A Role Model and Best Friend
Tom Norris knows a thing or two about
helping kids develop the character, skills
and confidence needed to succeed. As an
Athletic Administrator at IUSB, Tom has
helped many young men achieve success on
the field of athletics.
Tom relishes sporting events and being
outdoors, passions both he and Kaidyn
share…Even though Kaidyn is a University
of Michigan fan (lol). Tom is newly married
(10/17/2015) and really enjoys the time he
and his Little Brother share!
While he enjoys his job immensely, he
wanted to find another avenue to invest
in young people in our community. Tom
heard about Big Brothers Big Sisters when
he saw how Big Brother mentors positively
impacted the lives of two individuals close
to him. Seeing the value of mentoring, Tom
wanted to give that positive experience to a
child in need of a positive male role model.
Kaidyn is 8 years old and his mother referred
him to the program as he needed a strong,
solid male influence in his life. Kaidyn now
has someone to share his love of sports with,
and in his own words, “I just like having a
brother, instead of my sister all the time.”
Tom & his Little Brother Kaidyn have been
matched since August 2015. They enjoy one
another, especially in the area of athletics!
We have 42 boys currently on our wait list
looking for their own Big Brother mentor.
Sign up today to start positively impacting a
young man’s life and your own at:
www.becomeabig.net.
VIP DIAMOND SPONSOR
JORDAN
automotive group
VIP GOLD SPONSOR
VIP SILVER SPONSORS
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2015 Evening of Magic
!
We are thrilled to report that our 2015 Evening of Magic
Dinner Auction was a record breaking year for us! We have
our dedicated sponsors, guests, special speakers, community
donors and volunteers to thank for partnering with us to make
the evening such a tremendous success. The 40 children that
were sponsored through our Sponsor-A-Match commitments
will be so excited to come off of our waiting list and officially
paired with a caring mentor!
Our guests being greeted
and seated by some of
our Bigs & Littles.
Big sister Maggie and
little sister Faith shared
the reasons they love
spending time together.
ND Hockey Coach Jeff Jackson (who is a former little brother) inspired our
guests with his story and the importance of mentoring in a young person’s
life. Thanks Coach!
2
Our silent and live auctions seemed to stir up quite a bit of excitement and competition with our guests . Special thanks to Doug
Osthimer (our auctioneer) and Brian Stanley (our Board President) for an awesome job!
We would like to extend a very special thank you to
Pat and Frank Criniti. We were honored to have you
as our 2015 Community Chairs
Meet Katie James! She is an amazing big sister, board member and did
an extraordinary job chairing our event this year. Thank you Katie, we
are so happy to have you on our team!
BIG thank you from our staff left to right: Lisa, Beth, Laurie,
Deborah and Debra.
3
THANK YOU to all of our sponsors!
Table sponsors: Anthony Travel, Crowe Horwath, First State Bank, Kruggel Lawton, LLC,Lake
City Bank, Monarch Linen & Uniform Rental, Notre Dame Federal Credit Union, Platinum Benefit
Consulting Group, Sam & Cathy Roule, Senior1 Care, Brian & Kelly Stanley & Sweeney Julian P.C
4
Thank you to the South
Bend Fire Department
for their support and
participation!
Annual Picnic
Our annual picnic, held this fall at Potawatomi Park, was another great success!
The special treat this year was the Fire Safety House from the South Bend Fire
Department.
Our Littles and Bigs learned how to stay safe in case of a fire in a fun and engaging
way. We are very grateful to the South Bend Fire Department for their participation.
As you can see from some of the pictures, everyone had a great time!
5
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and Twitter!
Get the latest news and information on Big Brothers Big Sisters
of St. Josephy County by liking and following us on Facebook
and Twitter!
Saddle Up!
Have a rootin’ tootin‘ time!
BOWL
with yer buck-a-roo’s
JOIN US ON SATURDAY APRIL16, 2016
For more information call Beth Berry at 574-234-7444
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
South Bend, IN
218 W. Washington St., Suite 710
South Bend, IN 46601
Permit #266
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Did You Know...
Studies show that students that are retained
a grade or more are two times more likely to
drop out of school.
Early intervention in grade school with personalized involvement from a caring adult is
the most commonly recommended strategy
to prevent students from dropping out of
High School.
Our School Mentor Program that serves
elementary-age children is part of the solution. We are helping kids stay in school and
ultimately achieve academic success.
Our Vision
Our Mission
Our vision is that all children
achieve success in life.
Our mission is to provide children
facing adversity with strong
and enduring, professionally
supported one-to-one
relationships that change
their lives for the better
– forever.
Big News is published by Big Brothers Big Sisters
of St. Joseph County three times annually.
Our office is located at 218 West Washington
Street, Suite 710, South Bend, IN 46601.
Our Staff
Deborah Burrow, Executive Director
Beth Berry, Fund Development
Coordinator
Laurie Morlan, School Mentor
Program Coordinator
Lisa Tate, Match Support Specialist
Debra Walker, Outreach Coordinator/
Case Manager
Gene Wrobleski, Bookkeeper
218 W Washington St., Ste. 710
South Bend, IN 46601
(574) 232-9958
info@bbbs-sjc.org
www.bbbs-sjc.org