Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota - Youth Mentoring Program

Congrats Bigs & Littles of the Year!

2022 Big Brother of the Year

Congrats 2022 Big Brother of the Year John Hoffman and Little Kaiden!

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2022 Big Sister of the Year

Congrats 2022 Big Brother of the Year Jill Oldakowski and Little Savana!

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2022 Big Duo of the Year

Congrats 2022 State and Local Big Duo Alex & Brittney Schoephoerster and Little Christian!

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2022 HS Big Brother of the Year

Congrats 2022 State and Local HS Big Brother of the Year Bryce Sweeter and Little Preston!

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2022 HS Big Sister of the Year

Congrats 2022 State and Local HS Big Sister of the Year Kayla Braun and Little Maria!

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2022 Little Brother of the Year

Congrats 2022 Little Brother of the Year Nick and Big Kelly Simondet!

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2022 Little Sister of the Year

Congrats 2022 Little Sister of the Year Harlow and Big Erica Mortenson!

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Meet a Match!

Skyler & Brooke 1 Year Matchiversary

Sam & Josh 1 Year Matchiversary

Marc & Henry 1 Year Matchiversary

MaKayla & Avery 1 Year Matchiversary

Macy & Miyaa 1 Year Matchiversary

Jackie & Alexis 1 Year Matchiversary

Gavin & Codey 2 Year Matchiversary

Emily & Bayleigh 1 Year Matchiversary

Ellie & Jeremiah 1 Year Matchiversary

Clarinda & Salmo 2 Year Matchiversary

Claire & Jenna 1 Year Matchiversary

Ava & Abbi 1 Year Matchiversary

Amber & Annabella 2 Year Matchiversary

Be Big in 2023 Campaign Promo

Garrett & Alex 3 Year Matchiversary

Bobbie & Elysia 3 Year Matchiversary

Radi Family & Dakota 7 Year Matchiversary

Kyle & Amare 7 Year Matchiversary

Kaela & Ayden 8 Year Matchiversary

Brian & Ben 7 Year Matchiversary

Be Big in 2023 Social Post

bbbsofcentralmn

Thursday marked the first match meeting for the ne

Thursday marked the first match meeting for the new Bigs on Campus Initiative at @csbsju! Sixth- and seventh-grade students from Kennedy Community School @schooldistrict742 met their Bigs (staff and faculty from CSB/SJU) for the first time on the Saint Benedict with campus. They went through some ground rules and expectations for the match, they got to chat and get to know one another, there was a TikTok or two made - definitely no fun had at all! We think this is the beginning of a great partnership!

If you're faculty or staff at CSB/SJU, an alum of either school or a business professional in the community and would like to be a part of the Bigs on Campus initiative, email Emmitt@BigDefenders.org or head to the link in bio!

#BiggerTogether #BigsOnCampus #DefendPotential

Our matches have been requesting an escape room ac

Our matches have been requesting an escape room activity for some time now, and last week our program coordinators delivered! Two groups of matches took over Riddler's Escape and put their heads together to solve riddles and puzzles and get themselves out of the room! Group One didn't quite make it out in time, but Group Two successfully solved all the puzzles and escaped! It was a great night, and they're already asking for round two! #BiggerTogether #BeBigIn23

Through the BIG Partners program, local high schoo

Through the BIG Partners program, local high school students toured Microbiologics’ St. Cloud facility and had the opportunity to meet professionals, practice networking skills, and learn about career opportunities in the health industry sector.

Big Brothers Big Sisters, @schooldistrict742 , and Granite Partners form the collaboration as the B, I, and G in BIG Partners.

Thank you to the volunteer mentors from DeZURIK, Granite Partners, Microbiologics, and Rotochopper, Inc. #BIGPartners #BiggerTogether #DefendingPotential #communityengagement #mentoring

Preston is a 9-year-old Little Brother from Albert

Preston is a 9-year-old Little Brother from Albertville, and he's Ready to Unlock Potential. He enjoys playing outside, toy cars, monster trucks, board games, and video games, and a Big who likes spending time outside, sports, and going on adventures would be a great fit! Preston has been waiting 317 days - will YOU help him Unlock Potential?

If you'd like to inquire about matching with Preston or becoming a Big, visit www.bigdefenders.org/ways or email our recruiter, Emmitt Edwards, at Emmitt@BigDefenders.org.

#BiggerTogether #DefendPotential #BeBigIn23

Happy one year work anniversary to Madeline! Madel

Happy one year work anniversary to Madeline! Madeline is our program coordinator for the St. Cloud School District and oversees the Bigs on Campus initiative, and she works hard every day to make sure that youth in St. Cloud have the mentors they need. In her one year with BBBS we've made Big progress in getting more matches in the St. Cloud schools! Thank you, Madeline, for all your work, and here's to many more years of #DefendingPotential!

#BiggerTogether #BeBigIn23

It doesn’t take a lot of time to build a relatio

It doesn’t take a lot of time to build a relationship with your Little. Angie Brick has been involved with Bigs on Campus at St. Cloud State for less than a year, and she already feels like she knows her Little better – and is making an immediate difference in their life.

Angie’s favorite activity with her Little has been career exploration and learning where her Little is on that journey – and talking about the endless options together. She encourages others to become a Big because it’s hard to describe the feeling of making a difference in the life of someone you didn’t know just a few months ago. She said it’s also exciting to take on a new adventure while making a difference for a young adult in Central Minnesota.

If you’re ready for a new adventure in 2023, visit www.bigdefenders.org/ways. Thanks to Angie and all of our mentors! #BeBigIn23 #BiggerTogether #NationalMentorMonth

As National Mentor Month wraps up, we wanted to sh

As National Mentor Month wraps up, we wanted to share a story about why Big Brothers Big Sisters is about more than doing crafts and getting ice cream – it’s about making relationships and creating connections that last a lifetime. No one knows that better than Greg Schueller.

Greg’s dad died when Greg was just 10 years old, and shortly after that his mom signed him up to be a Little at BBBS of Central Minnesota. After being matched briefly with one Big Brother, Greg was matched with Mark Rieland. The two weren’t officially matched for more than a few years, but the friendship that started all those years ago is still going strong today. Greg and his wife, Cheri, get together with Mark and his wife, Lou, several times a year, and their families are good friends.

Greg remembers when he was first matched with Mark waiting all week for Thursdays, because that’s when the two of them would hang out. The days of the week and activities changed, but it didn’t matter what they did - Greg just wanted to hang out with Mark. Mark and Lou fostered Greg for a time after his father’s death, and that’s when Greg realized how special Mark and Lou were. “They might have been assigned to me by the Big Brother Big Sisters organization, but they actually cared about me enough to take on this responsibility,” he said.

From then on, Mark and Lou were a mainstay in Greg’s life. When he got his drivers license, his first trip was the four hours to Chippewa Falls, Wis., to visit Mark and Lou in their new home. They met all his serious girlfriends, and Mark sang at Greg’s wedding 29 years ago. Mark showed Greg how to install a stereo in his first car – which sparked an interest in understanding and repairing mechanics, and led Greg to become an electronics technician. Of everything Mark and Lou have done for Greg, however, he said the biggest thing they did was set an example of how to live and love. “They have been a huge positive influence in my life,” Greg said. “This is a debt I can never repay.”

If you're ready to #DefendPotential and make a BIG, life-changing difference in the life of a local youth, visit www.bigdefenders.org/ways. #BiggerTogether #BeBigIn23

Building trust can be hard for kids, but our Bigs

Building trust can be hard for kids, but our Bigs help build trust every day. Lily Rogholt is a High School Big, and she has been matched with her Little for one year.

Her favorite memory so far is coloring and making fun drawings with her Little during their time together. She enjoys being a Big, and thinks others should be a Big, because it’s a good way to develop relationships with youth that need a strong support system closer to their age. It’s also a way to give a child a friend they can rely on as they grow up.

If you are ready to be someone that a child relies on, visit www.bigdefenders.org/ways. Thanks to Lily and all of our mentors! #BeBigIn23 #BiggerTogether #NationalMentorMonth

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