Big Brothers Big Sisters Mountain Region fundraiser scores $70,000
By Rick Abasta Sun Correspondent
The 14th Annual Bowl for Kids’ Sake fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters Mountain Region was a big hit this year, raising approximately $70,000.
Bowl for Kids’ Sake consists of businesses, groups of friends, and family members who form bowling teams to raise funds for the organization. The organization provides services for youngsters throughout McKinley County, Apache County, Arizona and the three Arizona communities of Fort Defiance, Saint Michaels, and Window Rock.
Among the locals who participate are law enforcement officers, who have consistently stepped up to serve as Bigs.
The McKinley County Sheriff’s Office participated and donated to the fundraiser. Undersheriff James Maiorano III said the Bigs with Badges program at the sheriff’s office was designed to get law enforcement officers involved with the Big Brothers Big Sisters program.
“Our office put together a theme [based] on characters that were designed after Reno 911,” Maiorano said, adding that that the team name was McKinley 911. The sheriff’s office got together with the Gallup Police Department and Gallup Fire Department during the event, raising $1,000 to go toward Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Positively impacting the lives of Littles continues to be a goal for BBBS.
The program has proven to be beneficial to Littles, according to the Big Brothers Big Sisters Mountain Region website. Ninety percent are more likely to do well in school, 46 percent are less likely to abuse drugs, 89 percent are less likely to make bad decisions, and 91 percent feel better about themselves.
Donations are necessary for the program to survive.
BBBS Mountain Region Managing Regional Director Sarah Piano said 60 percent of the group’s support comes from donations, while the remaining 40 percent is from state funding and grants. Individuals can stop by the office to drop off donations or make monetary donations on the website, at bbbsmountainregion.org.
“In addition to monetary donations, we take donations of school supplies, books, or art supplies to use for our matches,” Piano said.
“The funds are used for the general operation of the program to interview, screen, and match mentors from the community with young people ages five to 18,” she said.
Big Brothers Big Sisters is a one-to-one mentoring program designed to ignite the biggest possible futures for youth.
“Mentoring has been a part of many cultures for centuries, so it is not a new concept,” Piano said. “Mentoring is an opportunity to share a part of yourself with someone else while truly making a difference in their life.”
“This program is valuable to the community because there are so many young people looking for a positive role model to encourage them, spend time with them and show them new possibilities,” Piano said.
Becoming a mentor takes four to six hours a month, but it makes a big impact in the life of a young person. Big Brothers Big Sisters Mountain Region requires mentors to undergo a background check for the safety of the program.
The program continues to grow, and a decade from now, Piano sees Big Brothers Big Sisters helping three times as many young people and providing more services throughout the reservation.
The program still faces challenges, however.
Recently, the office experienced a break-in. Thanks to the generous donations of the community, the office is back to its normal state.
“We feel blessed that so many people stepped up to help us with cleaning costs or replacing items that were stolen,” Piano said. “The most important thing is our staff is safe and no one was injured.”
Anyone interested in becoming a mentor can call Big Brothers Big Sisters Mountain Region at (505) 726-4285 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Prospective mentors can also stop by the office or apply online at bbbsmountainregion.org.
