Big & Little Pictures

We are so lucky to have been approached by local photographer Daniel Cullen to take pictures of our Bigs & Littles!

Here's a peek at some of the awesome shots he got of our matches.

 

Guest Blogger: Little Sister, Amanda and Big Sister, Lis

Guest Bloggers: Little Sister Amanda and Big Sister Lis

Amanda: Mine and Lis's relationship is a very strong thing. Lis is everything I could ever look for in a big sister. Our relationship is what other kids dream for and wish they had, I really appreciate everything she and Big Brothers Big Sisters has done for me.

A couple years ago when I was first registered for the program I was going through a hard time, but when I was matched with Lis things started to get better. She encourage me to do a lot of things and she also helped me cope with my anxiety by bringing me out to places and helping me meet new people. Now that its 2015 our friendship is still going very strong. She is still getting me to meet new people and getting me to take risks and getting  me to try new things. Every time we are out doing something we always have a good laugh even laughing at the small things. Lis is like another friend - she is always caring and she tries to understand everything I talk about or even if I'm explaining something. She always tries to understand. I am so glad I can call on her as a big sister/friend.

I am also so glad I was registered to Big Brothers Big Sisters and meet someone like Lis.

Lis: Amanda is a wonderful girl with lots of great character and a beautiful personality. She is very caring toward all her friends and loves to have a good time. She is naturally physically very strong and a true country girl. She makes me laugh when she fights new adventures but realizes she is very capable of doing so, like tree-trekking or canoeing. She has a special touch when it comes to matching up her clothes, she always looks great. And her hair is beautiful.

I love watching Amanda finding herself and learning to love who she is. I feel very fortunate she has picked me to be her friend and sister.

If you're interested in learning more information about our mentoring programs, please call Cheryl Holmes at 905-985-3733 ext 2.   

Guest Blogger: Big Sister Becky Lawlor

Written by Becky Lawlor

I have been the Mentoring Coordinator at Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Durham for approximately one year and a half. I have been a mentor in the In-School Program since April 2014 and I have seen the impact mentoring can have on a child, not only through my work at Big Brothers, but throughout my own match. Being the Mentoring Coordinator I am continuously talking about how a mentor can impact a child, and I am able to speak of my experience and express the excitement that comes from mentoring. 

When I started mentoring my mentee in April of 2014 I looked at the In-school Mentoring Program as spending time together and having fun while working towards goals. Little did I know this mentoring experience would bring me a new perspective. I look forward to my time with my mentee and it brings me comfort that I have had a positive impact on her life in some ways. Now, my mentee and I are in the In-School Program as well as the traditional program so we can see each other over the summer break. On the weeks that I see her in school, we enjoy playing outside on the playground, throwing a ball around or playing in the gym and making up new games. My mentee enjoys being active, so we plan a lot of our activities around being up and moving. 

During the time that we have been matched, we have got to know each other on a friend level. She knows that she is able to talk to me about anything and that I will listen to her, be there for her and offer suggestions if she wants help. I enjoy talking and being with my mentee because she is so enthusiastic and full of life. Seeing the excitement and happiness that she has when I come and see her at school or when I pick her up in the summer is an awesome feeling and it shows that she really enjoys our time together. Being a “Big Sister” is rewarding because you are able to celebrate your mentee’s successes and see how happy they are when they achieve goals or get a good grade on a test.

Being a Mentor has brought me a close friendship with an awesome girl! This match made me want to be there for another child, so I began mentoring another child in the In-School Program in May 2015. Mentoring does not only have an impact on the child, it has an impact on the mentor as well. I am looking forward to the upcoming school year so I am able to mentor in the school setting again.

If you're interested in learning more information about our mentoring programs, please call Cheryl Holmes at 905-985-3733 ext 2.