Register with Evanston
to recieve the latest Evanston updates.
Search Our Site
Register with Evanston
to recieve the latest Evanston updates.
September 7, 2017 | by admin
The presence of a caring mentor in the life of a young person has the power to develop young minds and instill confidence that can be carried forward for the rest of their lives. For over 30 years, this has been the belief of Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) as they have been committed to making a positive impact in the lives of children and youth in Calgary and area through their wide range of mentoring programs. Big Brothers Big Sisters Calgary and Area is a donor-supported, volunteer-driven organization that is founded on the belief that providing mentors for children and youth enables future generations to do well in school, work, and give back to their communities.
The All-Stars-For-Kids Campaign runs annually from August 1-31, and sees high profile athletes use the reach of their public platforms to help recruit the public and raise funds in support of mentoring programs for children and youth. As a longtime supporter of Big Brother Big Sisters, Qualico is proud to have once again been a part of the All-Stars-For-Kids campaign as it raised funds for such an important organization.
For this year’s All-Stars-For-Kids campaign, Big Brothers Big Sisters enlisted a great group of very high profile athletes and media outlets to help spread the word about the campaign. Hockey star Sean Monahan, Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell and Olympians Jasmine Mian and John Morris are just some of the athletes that were featured in the initiative. Along with these athletes, many local businesses in and around Calgary stepped up to host fundraising events to give the public additional opportunities to get involved and donate to the campaign.
John Morris is an Olympic Gold Medalist in curling, a firefighter and a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters since 2011. Six years ago, John heard about the program from other athletes who were involved and knew right away that he wanted to get involved in the program. “They have some fantastic people that genuinely want to make a difference. I want to be able to mentor and help get the word out there that there are many kids that need mentors.”
When John joined the program in 2011, his first “Little” was a boy named Cole. Cole wasn’t a fan of curling, but through bonding with John, he became very interested in the sport. In fact, Cole even went on to compete at the Junior level. “I would give Cole any extra equipment I had and we started curling together. It’s been great watching him grow into this natural leader,” says Morris.
Qualico was fortunate to see the impact that John Morris had on Cole first-hand as they worked together to put on a Learn to Curl event sponsored by Qualico. At this fun event, it was clear that John had made a huge impression on young Cole.
Though Cole is no longer in the program, John and Cole still remain close as their time together in the BBBS program developed a lifelong friendship. John and Cole remain in contact and if Cole ever needs someone to talk to, John is available “it’s a great relationship; if he ever needs anything I am there.”
Growing up, John was fortunate to have an amazing mentor in his life; his Father. “My Father’s mentorship had a very positive impact on me. My Dad made sure he was there for me, he coached me in baseball, curling and hockey. He was always there teaching me hard, and good lessons. I was very appreciative of that.” The great mentorship John received throughout his childhood fueled his desire to provide that same level of mentorship to youth now that he is an adult. “If I can be that for someone, that’s great.”
Last year, Big Brothers Big Sisters was able to serve over 1,700 children and youth, many of whom were dealing with different hardships in their lives. Through the mentoring provided by Big Brothers Big Sisters, these children received much needed assistance; from having someone to talk and open up to, to someone providing much needed personal development opportunities and lifelong friendships like John and Cole developed.
Research has shown that initiatives like those put in place by BBBS produce positive returns to the community in every way. In fact, multiple studies have found that children and youth with mentors go on to do well in school, and have an overall improved quality of life. For youth who go through the BBBS mentorship program, 63% go on the receive post-secondary education, and 80% go on to live healthy lifestyles; while they are also 17% more likely to gain employment and 50% more likely to volunteer and give back to their communities in the future. By every measure, BBBS generates positive results in the mental health, employment, and community engagements for the mentees in their programs.
Qualico has been a long-time supporter of Big Brothers Big Sisters; recognizing that the work BBBS does is critical to developing today’s youth and ensuring the generation of tomorrow is prepared to become industry leaders. Qualico and local Philanthropist Gary Nissen are proud to have matched every dollar raised up to $100,000 for the All-Stars for Kids Campaign. That’s a total of $200,000! Mentorship has the power to change lives for the better and better lives mean stronger, better communities of people.
Being a mentor for a “Little” makes a big difference. Last year, the campaign surpassed its goal and raised $233,000. We are excited to share that this year, the All-Stars-For-Kids campaign was able to raise over $243,000! This amazing feat would have never been possible without the generosity of the community. Thank you everyone who helped raise funds for this campaign!
Beyond the All-Stars-For-Kids campaign, Big Brothers Big Sisters is always looking for donations and assistance in helping change the lives of children and youth. If you’re interested in learning about how you can make a donation, or you are interested in volunteering, visit the Big Brothers Big Sisters website.
StreetSide Developments has been building homes for over 28 years. We have the honour of constructing the place in the world where our owners feel most like themselves. It’s why we build one way, and one way only — to the highest level of quality, because we aren’t just building homes, we’re building your home.