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July/August 2014community . mentoring . family . youth development

The BIGIn The CommunityFast Approaching 60 Years!

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona Soon To Be 60!

So long ago, Justice Lorna Lockwood and two concerned women started Valley Big Sisters in 1955. Not too long thereafter in 1966, Valley Big Brothers opened their doors with Barry Starr as the first Executive Director. Many of you may remember Linda Searfoss, who was hired as the first full-time Executive Director of Big Sisters in 1972. She began her 30-year legacy with only a $12,000 budget and 1.5 staff members!

It wasn’t until 1986 that the two separate agencies merged to form Valley Big Brothers Big Sisters with Linda named Executive Director. At that time, the agency had approximately 650 mathces, making it one of the largest BBBS agencies in the the U.S. CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

The Young Professionals Council

The Young Professionals Council of Big Brothers Big Sisters was founded in 2010 by young professionals in the Valley who have a vested interested in shaping Arizona’s youth. The YPC is a diverse group of individuals who volunteer their time to support BBBSAZ’s many initiatives in the community. These dedicated members help promote BBBSAZ through numerous activities including, recruitment, marketing, special events, and match events. Support the YPC in their signature Casino Night event on September 26th. To register or for more information visit: https://bbbsazcasinonight.eventbrite.com

updateAbout usMission: 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.

Vision: Our vision is that all children achieve success in life. By partnering with parents/guardians, volunteers and others in the community we are Accountable for each child in our program achieving:

• Higher aspirations, greater confidence, and better relationships

• Avoidance of risky behaviors• Educational success

Welcoming New Board Members- Jon Bohnert, Chair-Elect- Carlene Lowry, Secretary- Curt Krizan,Treasurer- Karina Bohn, Member- Tony Rivero, Member- John Weaver, Member- Kurt Mangum, Marketing Chair- Paul Evans, Member

BBBSAZ also wishes to thank outgoing Chairman, Bill Ross, for dedicating countless hours of passionate service and leadership.

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Dr. Christine Wilkinson BBBSAZ - Board Chair

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Event UpdateThat’s a wrap on our 2014 Bowl for Kids’ Sake Campaign!

On behalf of our agency, our Bowl for Kids’ Sake Corporate and Community Committees and most importantly, the children and families supported by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona, Thank You!

Thank you for your time, effort and energy over the past 3 months. Because of our incredible community partners’ support and more than 700 bowlers, we are happy to announce that our fundraising total is $97,570.00 and still counting!!! Big Brothers Big Sisters couldn’t operate without the generosity, compassion, and hard work of those in our community. Thank you to each and every participant, volunteer, sponsor and donor. You have truly made a difference!

Additional Donations

Since we are so close to reaching $100,000, we have decided to leave the website open for a few more weeks. If you would like to make a donation in support of Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Bowl for Kids’ Sake campaign please go to: www.bbbsaz.org/bfks2014. Click on “Donate to a Bowler” and type in the name of your preferred bowler. If you do not know of a specific bowler to donate to then just hover over the “Event Information” tab and select

‘General Donation’. With your help we can break through that $100,000 mark enabling our agency to serve more than 80 matches for an entire year!! Thank you for your support!

Big Tips for Matches

Social media is a great way for me to keep in touch with friends and family. I am wondering, is it appropriate for me to communicate with my Little through social media outlets?

We recognize online social networking has become a very popular communications tool. In general, personal use of social networking sites is typically for communications between peers, including friends and family. BBBS wants to reiterate that your relationship with your Little is that of a mentor, in addition to being a friend. Not all social networking sites are designed to support mentoring relationships. As a reminder, should you choose to use social media with your Little after getting permission from their parent or guardian and the Program Specialist, please be mindful of your use. Do not post photos of your Little without permission from the parent/guardian, do not disclose any information about your Little on your page and ensure that all content on your page is child friendly. You are a role model at all times to your Little.

By: Terri Waibel, LMSWTraining & Child Safety Specialist

Little Brother bowling at Bowl for Kids’

Big Brother Robert and Little Brother O’Shea ‘having a ball’ at the Community Bowl. The Community Bowl raised over $40,000 in just one day!!

Program Update Youth Served From 7/1/2013 to 6/30/2014

Total Youth Served : 1,567New Matches Made: 568Current Active Matches: 1,012

The graph shows the total number of youth served inour fiscal year to datein both community and site-based programs.

Site Based

Community Based

1233

334

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Event UpdateBFKS continued...

Corporate Bowls

If you are interested in more bowling fun, please consider getting your company involved in our bowling campaign. We offer private company bowls for 50+ people - you select the date, time and AMF location. Private company bowls can serve as the perfect teambuilding event while giving back to the children in our community. Plus, the bowling alleys have amazingly cold AC!! Please contact Jessica Whitney, Director of Development for details: jwhitney@bbbsaz.org or 602-393-4115.

Thank you to our 2014 BFKS Sponsors

Grant Update We are indebted to our grantors for their ongoing support

Recently, BBBSAZ has been awarded the following:

• Quicken Loans: $23,860 for the Quicken Beyond School Walls Program

• City of Mesa: $12,000 for Mesa Community Based Mentoring Program

• Town of Gilbert: $5,000 for Community Based Mentoring in Gilbert

• City of Peoria: $5,000 for Peoria Community Based Mentoring

• City of Chandler: $5,000 for the San Marcos Elementary Site-Based Program

• Avnet: $5,000 for Balsz Elementary Site-Based Mentoring Program

• City of Scottsdale, CDBG and Scottsdale Cares: Funding for the Paiute

Site-Based Program and Scottsdale Community Based Mentoring

• Valley of the Sun United Way – Ongoing Community Partner

Circus School of Arizona

Matches had the amazing opportunity to participate in a class at the Circus School of Arizona. Many of them expected to be learning how to juggle, or hulla hoop. They did that, but came to find out they would also have to test their skills on many different circus apparatuses including the trapeze and rope act. They all had fun and we are looking forward to the next class in August. Thanks Circus School of Arizona!

Little on the trapeze at Circus School of Arizona

‘The Foreheads’ Team for the Nerium Bowl. Nerium raised more than $10,000 on a local level and Nerium on a National level has matched their $10,000!!

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Partnership UpdateQuicken Loans Behind School Walls Program

It was a successful first year partnering with Quicken Loans for our Behind School Walls Program. 13 new youth were given the opportunity to be mentored by a Quicken Loans employee at the Quicken Loans office in North Scottsdale. Team-building activities were offered at each session and 85% of the youth attended each session. Not only did the students get to know one another, Quicken employees reported getting to know their co-workers in other departments better as well. Curriculum was presented through Take Charge America including:

- Education & Lifestyle - College Survival Skills & Job vs Career - Business Etiquette and Interviewing Questions - Hollands Model Aptitude Test & Career Exploration - Resume and Cover Letter Writing - Life after College - Planning for your “Future Self”- SMART Goals - “Future Self” Visionary Board

Through a Corporate survey employees reported:

- 100% reported being proud their company supported volunteerism - 100% agreed that being a Big made their work experience richer - 100% felt happier and rewarded from their experience - 50% felt more recharged after hanging out with their Little - 100% of the employees would like to see the program grow with more employees getting involved and have discussed it with their coworkers. - 87.5% felt the topics covered during sessions were useful for their Little.

Quicken Loans increased funding for the second year to $23,860. This will allow for 20 high school Littles to participate in the program. Of the 13 youth in the first year, 12 have expressed an interest in continuing the program next year. 3 matches have transitioned to Site Based Plus where they have been able to meet outside of Quicken Loans during the summer. We look forward to the ongoing success of this program and are proud to partner with Quicken Loans.

Little Sister working on her vision board in the BSW Program

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Cameron PleseCommunity Partnerships Coordinator

Match Story

Little Brother hanging from the trapeze at the Circus School of Arizona

Staff Spotlight1. Name: Cameron Plese

2. Years employed by BBBSAZ: 1.5 years (plus over a year of being a Big up in Portland prior to coming here)

3. Position(s) at BBBSAZ: Community Relations Specialist (one year), Community Partnerships Coordinator (since January, 2014).

4. What you have liked about working for BBBSAZ: Working for an organization with a mission in which I am passionate about.

5. Who has been your role model/mentor in life and why? My mother, father and 2 older brothers. I felt driven to be involved in an agency that helps to provide youth with similar mentors.

6. A career experience that you’re proud of: The year that I served with AmeriCorps.

7. A favorite weekend hobby/activity: Skateboarding.

8: What makes you laugh? The Simpsons and Futurama.

9. Where will you be in 10 years? Creating and advocating for international water policy.

A Story of Success

Meet husband, father, consultant, little brother, big brother, hero; Tom Thornton. Tom’s BBBS journey started when he was just five years old and his father passed away. Because Tom had only sisters and was being raised by a single mom, his life was challenging without a male role model. From age 5 to 12, Tom was frequently in trouble at school. So much so that the principal told his mother that Tom would end up a juvenile delinquent if she didn’t do something.

Mom’s solution worked. She enrolled Tom in Big Brothers Big Sisters and Tom’s life turned completely around during his 7th grade year. Not only did he get A’s in school, he also learned how to better cope with life in general. Tom remembers playing Frisbee and football with his Big Brother (BB),

but more importantly, he recalls how well his BB interacted with people and admired his morals.

Fast forward to 2002 and you find a very busy Tom; husband, provider and father to three young children – two sons and a daughter. Tom and his family decided they would become a family match and mentor 6 year old Isaac.

Isaac was matched to the Thornton family for 12 years and has since been the first in his extended family to graduate from high school. Now 18, Isaac is old enough to become a Big himself, so is no longer officially matched. However, Isaac will always be a part of the Thornton family and can call whenever he needs anything.

Tom is now matched once again. This time he is enrolled in a site-based program and meets Jesus once a week at his school, one-on-one. Tom realizes that although every kid is different, they still have similar emotional needs and he feels he is able to better connect because of his own experiences as a Little.

Thanks to Tom and the Thornton Family for leaving a legacy of caring! Best wishes to Isaac and Jesus as well – carry on!

Tom and Issac

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Fast Approaching 60 Years!

Fast forward to the present and BBBSAZ is still going strong! To all our volunteer Big Brothers and Big Sisters currently and throughout the years, thank you so much for providing significant, positive role models for our Littles as they strive to become the next generation of community leaders and role models like yourselves. To Board Members, staff, and the thousands of other volunteers, thank you for your dedication and passion to BBBSAZ and its mission. Every success is because of you.

Now, as we gear up for 2015 and BBBSAZ’s 60th Anniversary, please think about how you might make the milestone extra special. More matches? More dollars? More bowlers? More clothing drives? More cars to wash? You get the picture!

Please join me in making 2015 BBBSAZ’s most successful year yet! As your newly appointed BBBSAZ Board Chair, I welcome your ideas and suggestions.

Dr. Christine WilkinsonBig Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona Board of Directors - Board Chair

Contact Us

1010 E. McDowell Rd. Suite 400 Phoenix, AZ 85006www.bbbsaz.org • 602-264-9254 • TTY 800-367-8939 • facebook.com/helparizonayouth

Little Sister with Arizona Diamondback Martin Prada

“Hey Bro” Campaign During the month of July, BBBSAZ ran a Facebook Campaign entitled, “Hey Bro”. The 19-day campaign asked for referrals of potential Big Brothers to be submitted through our online recruitment page. With each referral, chances of winning prizes increased. The top prize, a $250 US Airways gift card went to Big Brother Matt. Cold Stone Creamery provided a $250 ice cream card, that was awarded to 2nd place winner, Patrick. At the end of the campaign, BBBSAZ had 29 additional Big Brother referrals. So, Hey Bro, do you know someone that would make a great mentor? If so, check us out by clicking the “Hey Bro” image above.

The Think Big program works very hard to add special opportunities for matches through the use of their Big Brother Big Sisters membership card. Some of these opportunities include:

- Free Admission to all home sporting games at Phoenix College- Free Admission to AZ Airtime in North Scottsdale-Buy one get one at Kiwanas Wave Pool in Tempe

Check out the Think Big website for events coming up and other membership opportunities.

Think Big Update

President/CEO

1010 E. McDowell Rd, Suite 400 Phoenix, Arizona 85006

(602) 264-9254 Visit Think Big

has qu ali ed and be en accepted as a volunteer with this agen cy

Membership Card