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Big Brothers Big Sisters bowling for kid’s sake

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Big brother mentor Lane and his “little” Isaiah enjoy a day of fun at the 2014 Bowl For Kids’ Sake.  Photo Credit: Courtesy Sarah Piano, Regional Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters
Real bowling pins are painted by Miyamura High School and Gallup High School art students. The pins are one of the prizes donors receive. Photo Credit: Courtesy Sarah Piano, Regional Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters

Renowned mentoring organization seeks sponsors, mentors and bowlers

“Luau at the Lanes!” is the theme of this year’s Bowl for Kids’ Sake bowl-a-thon put on by Big Brothers Big Sisters. Every penny raised is used here in McKinley County to help with the local mentoring program.

The bowl-a-thon is the biggest fundraiser sponsored by BBBS with its 2014 event raising more than $48,000.

Though the goal of the bowl-a-thon is to raise money, it is also designed to raise awareness. BBBS is the largest provider of one-to-one youth mentoring services in the United States. The offices of Northern New Mexico have been working with disadvantaged youth since the early 1980s. The organization matches children ages five to 15 with adults who can mentor them.

Mentoring is not a very time consuming activity, according to Sarah Piano, Big Brothers Big Sisters Mountain Region director. It only takes four to six hours each month to make a difference in the life of a child.

Mentoring involves taking the “littles” (little sister or little brother) to a movie, bowling, or simply for an ice cream cone. The biggest benefit comes from the quality time spent with the “little.” Mentoring can help to empower the children they work with by listening to them and encouraging them.

If you do the math, there are a lot of hours in a week that a person can give to their program, said Piano. Given 45 hours for work, 56 hours for sleep and 30 hours for meals and a morning routine, the average person would have 37 hours left in a week to fit in mentoring, she said.

At present, the McKinley County office of BBBS has about 20 youths on a waiting list with 60 percent of them boys. They need male volunteers.

Bowl for Kids’ Sake will be held on April 25 at Gal-a-Bowl. You can help by becoming a sponsor, becoming a team captain or by signing up as an individual bowler.  The mentoring organization also hosts a golf tournament every August.

For more information regarding Bowl for Kids’ Sake or about Big Brothers Big Sisters matching program, please call Sarah Piano at (505) 728-8356.