Dreaming BIG
Big Brothers Big Sisters hosts its largest annual fundraiser for about 200
In its biggest fundraiser of the year, Big Brothers Big Sisters invited more than 200 people to Centennial Hall for lunch Wednesday.
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Called the Dream Big Luncheon, the event is invitation-only and designed to bring in new Big Brothers and Big Sisters as well as financial support.
"We want every child to have a match ... We want every child to benefit from the knowledge that a person outside of their family cares about them and wants to spend time with them - that's our big dream," said Big Brother Big Sisters of Alaska CEO Taber Rehbaum on Wednesday. "To make that dream a reality, we are certainly going to need more volunteers. To recruit and support these volunteers we must hire more staff and do more outreach."
Wednesday's luncheon also featured a Big-Little match story, a "Littles Q&A" with a panel of three Littles, a Big perspective from Mona Yarnall and a donor perspective from Larry Persily, a longtime supporter of BBBS.
Former Little Brother Cody Bennett, now BBBS Leadership Board president, spoke about his father dying do to "unfortunate circumstances" while he was a child and the support he found through BBBS.
"Frankly things weren't really on the up and up for me," Bennett said. "Fortunately, being involved in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program paired me with a couple of Bigs who were instrumental in my development, in my pursuits academically, in who I've become today."
Bennett said although he's been aged out of the program for 10 years, he still stays in weekly contact with his Big Brothers.
"So it really does make a lasting impact," he said.
Big Brother Matt McGuan started more than two years ago through the Coast Guard. He and Little Brother Aakash have transitioned from BBBS's school program - one hour a week at the child's school - to its community program, which asks for two to four meetings a month.
"I asked Aakash earlier today if he could pick a couple of his favorite activities, what would he pick," McGuan said.
"I'd pick movies and hanging out," Aakash said.
"It's really that easy," McGuan said. "Sometimes we go watch movies. Sometimes we go out and have lunch together. Sometimes we just hang out and play video games at my house."
His fourth or fifth year attending the Dream Big Lunceon, McGuan said it took him a while to become a Big.
"If you're that person, that you've been here a few times and you're still not involved, I want you to think to yourself, 'What's holding me back?'" McGuan said. "The easiest excuse I came up with usually had to do with my schedule. I don't have time for that. I'm busy, I travel a lot. I can't find time. ... (But) the time is out there if you make it happen."
In asking himself what really held him back from becoming a Big, McGuan said it was fear.
"(It was) fear of not really knowing how to build a relationship like that, from scratch," he said. "And really the fear of failure. So that's a natural thing. But the good news is, this might be the first time for me in a situation like this, but that's what the people at Big Brothers Big Sisters do for a living. That's what they're dedicated to, to build those relationships. And they're there for you. Like a set of training wheels, they're there to get you spinning off."
In conclusion, McGuan urged everyone to put their fears behind them.
"You're not here (today) by accident," McGuan said. "You're here because someone out there, a co-worker or friend in the community, they see you as someone who can make a difference, make a positive impact in someone's life. Big Brothers Big Sisters is a great place for that to happen."
According to Rehbaum, for every additional $1,000, BBBS can serve one more child.
"Imagine 1,000 more children right here in our community less like to use drugs, less likely to use alcohol and resort to violence, 1,000 children more confident in their school work and having good relationships with their families," she said.
"This will not only change the lives of those children, but also their classmates, your children, our families and future generations. Let's dedicate ourselves to this dream and the possibility that hundreds, even thousands, here in Juneau could feel the same passion about our kids that we do. ... Our dream is within our reach, and together we can make it reality. We can't afford not to."
• Contact Neighbors editor Kim Andree at kim.andree@juneauempire.com.