BBBSNEW Blog

Hi, everyone! My name is Ryan, and this is my Little Brother Christian. Many years ago, BBBS did a presentation at my company as an outreach effort to find potential Bigs. At the time, I recently graduated from college and was looking for ways to get involved in my community. I have always enjoyed working with kids, so I felt that this opportunity fit my interests. When Christian and I were first matched, we did the site-based mentoring. His school was located close to my office, so meeting with him weekly during my lunch break fit well with my schedule. After a few years, we transitioned to meeting in the community. Christian wanted to have a Big Brother to have a friend that he could trust to do things with and talk to. Needless to say, we were a great fit!

After almost a decade of friendship, we are bound to have some fun memories together. When I first met Christian, he did not know how to ride a bike. We spent a few of our sessions together loading his bike into my car and then finding an empty parking lot or trail to practice riding. As a mentor, it was very enjoyable and rewarding watching Christian develop this new skill. We also enjoy trying new foods together and celebrating family Christmas parties, two of Chirstian’s favorite activities. As Christian has gotten older, we have alternated our meetings between doing homework together and either playing a game of Skip-Bo or going geocaching. We also try to work on life skills more. Christian has appreciated learning financial responsibility and cooking skills.

Having a positive impact on a young person’s life has been incredibly fulfilling for me. By being a mentor, I’ve witnessed Christian’s self-esteem grow, watched him achieve better grades, and seen him develop new interests and skills. As an adult, it is easy to forget what life is like through the eyes of a young person. Particularly when he was younger, Christian would catch me off guard with his perspective of a situation. This innocence and curiosity reminded me to enjoy the small things in life and not be afraid to think outside the box when confronted with challenges. Christian and my friendship won’t end with BBBS, though. He told me that he is planning to stay in touch and continue to get to know Oliver (my son).

Spending time with youth through the BBBS program is more than just volunteering your time. It also helps you grow as a person. It encourages you to take on new adventures and experiences that you otherwise wouldn’t do as an adult. The Big Brothers Big Sisters staff has been an excellent resource. They assist with finding a match and also offer a variety of activities that you can participate in with your Little. I would certainly recommend this program to anybody looking to give back to their community.