Big Brothers Big Sisters honours volunteers

Big Brothers Big Sisters honoured those who make their program a success during its annual volunteer and community appreciation evening.

This year, the Volunteer of the Year and the Little of the year awards were presented to one of the seven-year matches, Big Sister Margie MacDonald and her Little Brother Cole Coady. They were awarded for their dedication to the program and each other. MacDonald and Coady have been matched since Coady was seven years old and started in the In school mentoring program and moved to a community based match when he was 10.

Big Brothers Big Sisters also awarded the Brenda Halverson Award, for the parent of the year. This award, is in memory of Brenda Halverson, a devoted parent who saw the meaning of the programs and embodied the values of Big Brothers Big Sisters. This year the award was presented to Charmaine Smith, a parent who goes above and beyond for her sons.

Craig Sutherland was recognized for his work within Big Brothers Big Sisters as a mentor and a program leader for the Game On! program for the past two years at West Pictou Consolidated. Craig has been matched with his Little Brother for over a year.

Also celebrated was the Friend of the Year Award, which was awarded to West Pictou Consolidated School. Principal Cindy Turner and Vice Principal Kim Tetreault were there to accept the award. The school has incorporated many BBBS programs into their day to day operations, most notably, the Go Girls! And Game On! program has been added to the grade seven curriculum, so every student in grade seven can participate in those programs.

The Verna van Bommel Community Mentor Award, an award given to recognize van Bommel, a long-term volunteer who passed away with cancer nine years ago, recognized Maureen MacDonald, a local coach, for her outstanding community involvement and mentorship through Basketball with Pictou County youth. MacDonald spends time coaching boys and girls at West Pictou and the Pictou County Raptors team. She has spent many hours over the past 22 years, instilling the values that van Bommel believed in.

Many awards were presented for Bowl for Kids Sake teams, such as to the top 10 money raisers: Overall Team Raising the Most Money (Investors Group – $3,520), School Raising the Most Money (G.R. Saunders – $2,250), Top Financial Team Raising the Most Money (Investors Group – $3,520), The Individual Youth Raising the Most Money (Josh Anderson – $250), Kevin Breen Memorial Youth Award (Sharon St. John United Church – $1,097), Rookie Team Raising the Most Money (Every Penny Counts – $1,113.25), Jo-Anne Gillis Memorial Award (Crystal Paris and Sobeys Risk Management – $320), and for their overall spirit Michelin was awarded the Bunny Mason Memorial Spirit Award – for the third year running!

Big Brothers Big Sisters Executive Director Margie Grant-Walsh said there are many youth who are waiting to be matched in the community. “There are over 205 children on our waitlist alone — mostly young boys who are looking for a Big Brother” said Grant-Walsh. “Our kids just want someone to spend time with them and give them their undivided attention.”

Big Brothers Big Sisters is a local non-profit agency that serves youth in Pictou and Antigonish county by providing them with free mentoring programs. These programs match youth ages six to 16 with a caring adult and help to monitor and encourage the friendships.

For more information on Big Brothers Big Sisters, please call their office at 902-752-6260 or check out their website at www. bbbsofpc.com.