|
Big
Brothers Big Sisters Darke County Program Coordinator, Becca Cotterman
and Dianna Wagner, President of The Harry D. Stephens Memorial Trust
Committee
Big Brothers Big Sisters
Harry D. Stephens Memorial contributes to BBBS
Harry D. Stephens Memorial Trust Fund has recently awarded a grant to
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Shelby & Darke County. Big Brothers Big
Sisters is designed to create and support one to one mentoring
relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. This grant in
specific will assist with purchases for the mentoring programs in Darke
County. Our mentoring programs consist of many volunteers and little’s.
These programs are designed for all youth to achieve their full
potential and provide mentoring along the way. One of our programs is
called; Big Buddies and it consist of a nine-month commitment where
high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors volunteer two
times per month to mentor elementary students. During these
meetings, high school students, under the supervision of Big Brothers
Big Sisters staff, work with one or two children on different
educational and recreational activities. We also have a Community based
programs that provides an adult aged Big Brother or Big Sister who gets
to spend time and share activities with a child-aged Little Brother or
Little Sister doing activities that they enjoy. Activities may include
fishing, playing board games, baking cookies, or going to ball games.
The Big’s and Littles get to enjoy these fun times together on their
own schedule at least two times per month.
The Harry D. Stephens Memorial Trust Fund began in 1990. Over the past
30 years, the trust fund has distributed over $1.8 million to the
benefit of Greenville area residents. Interest income is appreciated in
June and December each year. Application forms can be obtained from the
Darke County Chambers of Commerce office at 130 Martz Street, Suite 5
in Greenville. Having the support from trust funds like The Harry D.
Stephens Trust fund is a true blessing for nonprofits like Big Brothers
Big Sisters. With their support, we are able to purchase supplies
needed for our volunteers and little’s in the after-school Big Buddies
programs within our two-county service area.
Big Brothers Big Sisters is a non-profit United Way partner
agency. The agency currently has over 20 children ready and
waiting to be matched with a caring adult. If you would like to
ignite, empower, and defend the potential of a child, through
volunteering or financial contribution, please contact the agency at
937-492-7611, 937-547-9622 or go to www.bigbrobigsis-shelbydarke.org
for more information.
|
