BBBSNEW Blog

Molly Shier & Carolina

Hi, everyone! My name is Molly, and I have been matched with Carolina since May 2017. After graduating from college, I was looking for a way to stay connected to the community and give back. I felt really lucky to have mentors who believed in me and supported me along the way, and I was looking for an opportunity to do the same and pay it forward. Carolina shared that she wanted to have a Big because it is like having a lifelong best friend and someone she could look up to as a role model. She feels that a Big is someone who can give good advice and will be you through hard and easy situations in life.

Carolina and I have loved trying new things in our six years being matched. Carolina has really enjoyed trying new things together- from new restaurants and recipes to new crafts. We have made candles, bracelets, pottery, and paintings. We also love to go for drives and sing along to music in the car.

One of my favorite memories with Carolina was the time we took a sailing class. BBBS set up the event, and we had the opportunity to take a sailing lesson in the bay of Green Bay with other Bigs and Littles. We both love the water but had never sailed before and were a little nervous. We loved it! Carolina was really young the first time we went, probably around 9 or 10, and she was fearless! Since then, we went once more. It was a blast and such a cool experience to have together.

We have lots of ideas for future activities together, but we mainly look forward to continuing our friendship as we both get older. Carolina says that she is looking forward to the future and how I will be able to help her and support her as she navigates through college. I look forward making more fun memories and watching her learn and grow. She has accomplished so much in the past six years that I’ve known her, and I’m so excited for her future.

Being involved in Big Brothers Big Sisters and being matched with Carolina has impacted my life in such a positive way. It’s been a wonderful experience to see the world through her eyes and learn her perspective on things. I hope she has learned as much from me as I have learned from her! As a Big, it’s nice to just have fun and be a kid again sometimes. Through the program, I have also been able to meet other wonderful volunteers and work closely with the BBBS staff which has been an added bonus!

I would recommend Big Brothers Big Sisters to anyone who is looking for a way to give back and enjoys being a mentor. You don’t have to be perfect to be a Big. You just have to be there for your Little and be a friend. Investing a little time can make a huge difference in a child’s life… plus it’s a lot of fun!