INDReporter

Be a big bro, yo

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Acadiana is set to kick of its “30 Years • 30 Men • 30 Days” campaign in June and is seeking qualified mentors.

Men, do you have four hours a month to help make Lafayette’s future just a little bit better? That’s all that’s required to make a difference in the life of boy who needs a mentor. Two days, two hours each day, twice a month.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Acadiana is set to kick of its “30 Years • 30 Men • 30 Days” campaign in June and is seeking qualified mentors age 18 and over, “bigs” they call them, to team up with a young protege, that would be the “little,” for fun activities and companionship.

“It’s truly a minimal time commitment,” says Garland Theriot, BBBS’ coordinator of volunteer services. “When we make a match, we go to great lengths to match adults with kids who have similar interests and hobbies. We wouldn’t match an outdoorsman with a kid who plays video games and hates going outside. As a result, the activities our matches participate in tend to be things that the big and little find fun.”

In addition to being at least 18 years old, participants must undergo a screening process and be willing to commit to their littles for at least 12 months. Seventy-five percent of those awaiting mentors in the BBBS program are boys and the average wait time is a year.

The campaign kicks off at 6 p.m. June 5 at Genterie Supply Co. on Jefferson Street Downtown. Attendees will enjoy free spirits, music and access to the services of barber C. Wolf. That’s right, y’get your hairs cut.

“The 30 Years • 30 Men • 30 Days campaign is a call to action for men in our community to step forward and guide young boys in positive and meaningful ways,” says BBS Executive Director Betty Blair in a press release announcing the campaign. “It’s an opportunity to call attention to a great need for caring male mentors who see Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring programs as a direct way to make a difference in the life of a child and change his future for the better, forever.”

For further information on the campaign, call BBBS at 269-0454 or send an email to [email protected].