Aloha and welcome to the first Big & Little Scoops of 2017!
January is National Mentoring Month, so we'd like to take a moment to thank all of our Bigs on Hawai'i Island, Kaua'i, Maui, and Oahu for giving us your most precious gift - the gift of time! We are your biggest fans, and on behalf of all the partners, parents, and Littles out there....THANK YOU FOR BEING YOU!
We're off to a great start to the new year, but are looking to meet more potential Bigs and Littles...please drop us a line if we can make a presentation at your company, church group, or community organization. We need your help to reach more volunteers and families who could benefit from one-to-one mentoring - please reply to this email if you have a suggestion or contact.
Mahalo for joining us on this new year's journey,
Dennis Brown
President / CEO
(and Hawaii's first "Little Brother")
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Congrats to Big Sister Margaret and Little Sister Victoria
who are celebrating their TEN YEAR anniversary this month!
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Welcome NEW Community-Based Match Little Brother Exodus and Big Brother Andrew. They enjoyed their first outing at the Kauai Backcountry Adventures and are looking forward to their new journey together!
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Big Sister Jaisa and her Little Sister Lauren helped us celebrate January as National Mentoring Month by being guests on the Hawaii News Now Sunrise Show! But don’t let us tell you about it, please watch it for yourself here! |
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All of Maui’s afterschool programs are up and running this month at Kahului Elementary School, Kamehameha Schools, and Princess Nahienaena Elementary School. Here is Big Sister Aleina and Little Sister Zaysha-Maelee from Kamehameha Schools playing “The Game of Life."
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In East Hawaii we began a monthly Game Night in January. Held the third Thursday of each month at Starbucks on Kilauea Avenue, Game Night runs from 4pm-7pm. This monthly event is open to Bigs, Littles, and the community to participate on a drop-in basis. Here's Little Brother Skyler, Little Sister Laisha, and Guardian Sherlyn enjoying a serious round of Jenga.
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This month we invite YOU to become a Match Maker! For those of you who are located on Oahu, please join us at Oahu Country Club for a free breakfast on Friday, February 24th and learn more about how to participate in this monthly giving program. RSVP here. |
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MAHALO Sean Stogner and the entire Kauai Backcountry Adventures team for their generosity in providing a fun filled “tubing” experience for our matches. The children were thrilled to experience a day strolling through freshwater tunnels on tubes amidst the beautiful backdrop of Kauai’s lush outdoors! Click here to see more awesome photos!
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We are grateful to the school counselors at Kamehameha Schools in Maui, Kahului Elementary School, and Princess Nahienaena Elementary school for their outstanding support in getting our programs started this year. Mahalo also to Allen Kennedy, Tad Iwata, Steve Pisacano, Jayme Carlos, and Michelle Abad for creating opportunities for our Big Brothers Big Sisters staff members to speak to their students to recruit high school “Bigs” for our programs!
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Mahalo to all who participated in Holomua’s MEET UP in January. The group hiked Friendship Garden in Kaneohe and had a great time...as well as a great discussion!
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Big thanks to Allison Borrell from East Mountain Watershed Partnership and Maui Invasive Species Committee for doing a presentation to our Mentor Center Kids on Maui!
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Mahalo to New West Broadcasting (Chris Leonard, President/General Manager KWXX/B97) and Starbucks Kilauea (Manager Jade Jenkins) for their support of our Great Big Challenge and Game Night on Hawai'i Island. We are grateful!
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During the month of December, the team at HEMIC raised money for BBBS by selling casual dress-down days! Here is HEMIC's Jason Yoshimi and Lisa Lee, Ali'iolani Counselor Mr. Tim Hosoda and Principal Mr. Joe Passantino, BBBS President / CEO Dennis Brown and Case Manager Sheryl at our Ali'iolani mentoring site!
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Mahalo to all who helped with our Breakfast with Santa event at Kualoa on Oahu, including Meadow Gold Daries Hawaii, Lois Shimabukuro-Miyake, Armstrong Produce, P & E Foods, Aloha Harvest, Agnes’s Portuguese Bake Shop, Aiea Manapua, Whole Foods Market, Mama Nita Scones, Pah’ke’s Chinese Restaurant, Red Lobster, and all the volunteers who entertained, ran activities and helped with the program and meal service.
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In Memoriam…Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kaua’i honors and remembers Mr. Charles Kawakami who served on the Regional Board since its fruition in 2007. Charles’ love for serving Kauai’s keiki, family and community will forever be cherished and live in the hearts of all the lives he’s touched!
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Holiday Angels are a very special group of donors who adopted some of our families for the holidays. We are grateful to the following Oahu Holiday Angels: Amanda and Alison Steiner, Big Sister Tomeka Vargas and Little Sister Leandrea, Carter Lee-Churchfield, Clinical Labs, Eileen Bull, Molly Egged, Nancy Thurman, Op Terra Energy Services, Red Lobster, Shantaye Reed, and the Ohanas of Bonnie Freitas, Carly Antone, Chasity Andrade, Edna Helemano, Eva Niau, Iris & Kalani, and Tom Aitken.
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