Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Florida’s Miracle on 13th St.

 

How does one say thank you to a community that has given so much? To say thank you doesn’t come close to expressing what’s truly in our hearts.

 

Christmas Countdown – Tuesday, November 29, 2011, contributions for the annual Big Brothers Big Sisters Christmas party began to commence. Eric Jewell from KTK 98.5 radio station donated the first gifts collected by the radio station for our toy drive. Thank you Eric and KTK 98.5 for your efforts and contribution to the children in our program; we are extremely grateful!

 

Tuesday night, staff soon realized that there was a massive shortage of gifts. In an organization that services over 300 kids, there were only 40 toys available to distribute. The daunting realization that some children would potentially go without a Christmas gift caused some contemplation of cancelling the Christmas party altogether, considering it was that Friday, December 2nd. Despite some doubt that we could obtain so many toys in so little time, BBBS decided to walk on faith. Every year this celebration gives presents to the many families in our program who greatly appreciate and need them. As a result Big Brothers Big Sisters sought other options, as John Bonacci was not willing to cancel the Christmas Party. At this stage, Big Brothers Big Sisters had only three days left to find the necessary amount of presents for all of the children and were searching for a miracle.

The countdown continues. John immediately contacts Rebecca Lakkis, Board President of Big Brothers Big Sisters and the rest of the Board. Ms. Lakkis reaches out to UF colleagues Christine Simpson of the UF Foundation and Margaret Gaylord of UF Warrington College of Business who arranged a toy drive and miraculous arrived within the next 2 days with TRUCKLOADS of gifts for our children. Thank you so much for your bountiful hearts and helping our event be the success that it truly was. The next step was to further publicize the urgency in getting enough presents for the kids. John makes a call to TV 20. Mike Gismondi from TV 20 comes to BBBS and interviews John on the toy shortage so as to help direct more community attention towards the approaching event.

Match Spotlight: Patrick & Andrew

Every day we meet new people having no idea the role they will play in our lives. This is much like what happens when a Big is matched with a Little, you never really know the end outcome. Patrick and Andrew were matched about four years ago. There match has technically closed due to Patrick relocating for Grad school, but that has done little to halt their friendship. “Andrew and I plan on staying friends for life. “ Patrick says he initially wanted to become a Big because of his own experience as a child of divorce, “I was fortunate, in that my mother met a wonderful man, who became an amazing step-father and friend to me. Many children however, aren’t presented with opportunities and advantages that I had myself.”
 

Community Leader: Jeremy Staun

Here at Big Brothers Big Sisters, Nationwide is “on our side” as we are proud to recognize board member, Jeremy Staun, AVP/Nationwide. Staun moved from Iowa to Gainesville with his wife and two young daughters 18 months ago. He states that Gainesville has been very welcoming and the transition has been quite easy on both him and his family. They love the small town atmosphere, warm weather, the proximity to beautiful beaches and Disney World, and of course all the excitement from sporting events that come from living in the Gator Nation!

After moving to Gainesville, Staun claims that many people talked with him about the importance of getting involved with the Gainesville community. After spending some time looking at different charities, he came across an opening in Big Brothers Big Sisters and his heart was set. He remembers being involved with his local Big Brother Big Sisters in high school and how rewarding it was to be involved in such a valuable organization. “[S]o I did not hesitate to join the board. It has been a very rewarding experience, which I am happy to contribute to”.

Celebrating a Decade of Friendship – Congratulations ERIC & ROD!!!

Eric and Rod celebrate 10 years of friendship.  To many of the youth we serve, 10 years is a lifetime. But to one match at Big Brothers Big Sisters, it is the beginning of a lifetime. It’s been ten years since Eric and Rod met for the first time. Rod was seven years old when matched with his Big Brother Eric. Rod is now seventeen and his relationship with his Big is still going strong. Throughout the years Eric has witnessed Rod grow both physically and emotionally. From being shy around strangers and his answers being one word at most, Rod has grown both in stature and in poise. Eric stated proudly that Rod has developed confidence, and a great speaking voice. Eric has helped him apply for jobs, has taught him how to drive, to cook and together they have attended UF football and basketball games.  Now, at 17, Eric says that Rod is bigger than him. “I like it that he doesn’t hurt me when we play touch football and he’s always willing to get together. He adds, “I really liked to see the energy and joy he exhibits when we do things that he has always wanted to do but was never able to do”. Eric has been a part of many milestones in Rod’s life and is always there to encourage him to stay in school, play sports, and think about the future. He is both wonderful and a blessing.”  Rod’s mother, Linda has stated that she couldn’t ask for a better Big Brother.  We are proud to celebrate Eric and Rod and all the matches celebrating their anniversary this month.

Volunteering just a few hours a month with a child can start something amazing. So why not apply to be a Big today. There are kids out there ready to get started. Are you?

Match Spotlight: Natalia & Zeimyra

Natalia and Zeimyra have been matched with Big Brothers Big Sisters since August of 2010. For little over a year Natalia and Zeimyra have been spending time together, getting to know each other, and growing as people. Natalia had nothing but good things to say about her little, Zeimyra. “She’s GREAT,” Natalia exclaimed when asked about her little. One of Natalia’s favorite memories of spending time with her little was during her trip to a trail in Gainesville. Natalia had brought her camera and Zeimyra just had a blast taking pictures and posing. She also had great things to say about Zeimyra’s mother who she described as “AMAZING,” she is always there for her daughter. Zeimyra’s mother, Yaravi, feels just as great about Natalia. “I love her to death,” Yaravi stated. Natalia couldn’t be happier about her match. Natalia initially joined Big Brothers Big Sisters with hopes of making an impact on someone’s life and that’s exactly what happened, except at times her little was not the only one who reaped the benefits of being a part of Big Brothers Big Sisters. “You get as much out of it as you give,” says Natalia. This is something she wanted other Bigs to realize, Big Brothers Big Sisters is what you make of it. You learn so much about yourself as a Big. Having a Big Sister has had a major impact on Zeimyra as well. “Having a Big Sister is like having a best friend who is very helpful and always there,” Zeimyra stated. “I played guitar in the school band and it met so much to me that my Big Sister was there,” Zeimyra added. They also enjoy doing various activities with each other, including going to the movies, pottery, going to the springs and they also have cooked together. Yaravi can tell that her daughter truly enjoys being with Natalia. Yaravi says that Zeimrya loves Natalia and gets excited whenever Natalia calls or text her to make plans.  Yaravi also adds that Natalia is a part of her family and that she loves her as if she was her daughter.

Community Leader: Jennifer Tragash

Jennifer Tragash is being recognized for her dedication to the Gainesville community. She has worked for over 30 years to promote positive outcomes for children and families in our community. Born in Gainesville, Florida, Jennifer earned her Master’s degree in Special Education from the University of Florida and holds a Florida teaching certificate in Specific Learning Disabilities K-12. She has a broad range of teaching, multi-disciplinary assessment, resource development, and consultative experience in early childhood through post-secondary teacher and parent education.

Currently Ms. Tragash serves as the Director of The Mentor Center. She states, “The mission of The Mentor Center is to support local mentoring organizations, programs and initiatives in order to strengthen and expand mentoring opportunities for the citizens of Alachua County.  Our vision is that every child, young adult, parent, and/or business entrepreneur in our community who needs and wants a mentor will be suitably matched with one.” Prior to joining the Mentor Center, Jennifer was the United Way of North Central Florida Director of Impact and Initiatives where she worked with a broad array of non-profits in the education, health, and social service sector. She worked for over 20 years as a Program Director of the University of Gainesville Reads program and the University of Florida Multidisciplinary Diagnostic and Training program (MDTP). Jennifer has served as a mentor and life coach for more than 20 children and young adults. She asserts, “I am convinced that through intergenerational mentoring we can positively impact the world”.

Match Spotlight: Latifat & Ja’Mes

Big Brothers Big Sisters is proud to announce this month’s Match Spotlight, Latifat and Ja’Mes.  The two were matched in July of 2009.  Latifat volunteers as a mentor and role model to Ja’Mes, and the two represent the impact long-term, one-on-one mentoring can have.

In the last two years, making time to see each other has always been the priority for Latifat and Ja’Mes.  The consistency of their activities is one of the key factors that have helped to make their friendship so successful and lasting. Latifat and Ja’Mes love to go out and have a good time together. They dance together, go to the library, shopping, park, out to eat, work on arts and crafts, play games and LS attended BS’s graduation they spend the day with Latifat’s family. “I absolutely love the fact that I’m able to see her grow and mature, from encounter to encounter and from year to year. The progress she has made is astounding. We actually ran into one of her kindergarten school teachers at an event and she commented on how much she had changed and that the program was a really good thing for her”, commented Latifat.

Kipp Hayes- Community Leader

Kipp Hayes, the CEO and owner of University Pawn and Jewelry, is an outstanding and motivational community leader. He demonstrates commitment to helping children better themselves by volunteering as a community mentor through his church’s youth ministry and as a bible study teacher. Mr. Hayes is currently the Vice President of the Board of Directors of BBBS. Kipp’s relationship with BBBS began as a Little Brother, (LB) in our program, where he was matched with his Big Brother (BB), Mark. Kipp believes that he began to grow as a person because of the time and attention Mark showed him, helping him discover who he was and what he really enjoyed.

Kipp’s most significant memory from being a LB was his bonding experience with his BB Mark at their first meeting together. After Mark introduced him to Orange Julius in the Gainesville Mall, he was his new best friend! Kipp was soon introduced to Star Wars, which they saw three weeks in a row, and video games, which they played for hours. These activities opened up a path that allowed Kipp to start building models and led him to his first job at the age of 14 at a local arcade. Kipp said, “I don’t recall how long the relationship lasted, but its effect has lasted me a lifetime.” After Mark moved out of Gainesville, Kipp left the program, at which time he fell in with the wrong crowd, and dropped out of school. He realizes that everyone needs help and guidance and maybe if he had had his Big around he would not have dropped out of school in 9th grade. This in part is the driving force that motivates him to give back to the children in his community.

Earn a Scholarship While Volunteering!

Students at the University of Florida and Santa Fe College have the opportunity to earn a scholarship while they volunteer their time towards mentoring our youth! This is made possible by Florida Campus Compact, a national presidential membership organization that is committed to helping students develop values and skill through participation in community service. They have partnered with AmeriCorps to create the College Access AmeriCorps Program which offers scholarships to college students for mentoring at-risk youth and participating in community service.

Students will receive an educational award amount based on the set number of hours that the student chooses. For 300 hours of service they will receive $1,132 and for 450 hours of service $1,415. They also have the options of serving 600 and 900 hours. There are a few requirements for the program. Volunteers have to mentor a child in grades 6-12 within the Alachua County Public School District for at least one hour every week. Additionally, they will be attending month meeting geared towards increasing their civic knowledge

Community Leader: Mario Coppock

Dedicated, efficient, and passionate—these are the words that describe this month’s featured community leader, Mario Coppock. Coppock who has recently been promoted as the Columbia County Recreation Director heads the Richardson Community Center. The Center, he says, “provide recreational, social, athletic and education programs geared towards the boys and girls of our community.” Specifically these programs place an emphasis on academic excellence through tutoring programs and also offer recreational opportunities through the participation of the sport programs. Even when the school year is over, the Center serves as a haven to keep the children busy and educated; during the long summer hours, sport leagues, summer camp program, weekly Florida 4-H lessons, and summer reading minicamp become available. Through these programs Coppock believes that they will “encourage social skills in children and offer positive

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