Ponoka’s Big Brother Big Sisters (BBBS) made its $20,000 bowl-a-thon fundraising goal.
The big bowling fundraiser event was held March 8 at Ponoka’s Leisure Lanes Bowling Centre with community groups and businesses coming together to raise a total amount of $20,650.
This is BBBS’s biggest fundraiser with the money going towards the many different mentoring programs offered.
Morgen Chernick, program director for Ponoka’s BBBS, feels these types of events show just how important the community is to their programming.
She says there is a lot of benefit to see kids having a mentor in their lives. There continues to be a demand for mentors. Chernick is reminded of one little brother who mentioned to her that all kids should have a mentor because then they’ll be taken care of and have someone to talk to.
Currently there are 40 kids on the wait list with 73 or 74 current matches.
“We believe that every child should have a mentor. Everyone needs a mentor. That’s our belief,” explained Chernick.
“People are just seeing the successes and positives in their kids having a mentor and the referrals are coming in.”
Chernick says seeing the kids on a daily level, and the excitement that comes with having a mentor is priceless.
“It makes me really proud to work here and it makes me really proud to live here,” said Chernick of the community support.
jeff.heyden-kaye@ponokanews.com
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