A week before the true calendar date, it sure looked a lot like Christmas at the South Charleston Memorial Ice Arena.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Tri-State "Bigs," "Littles," family members, and other supporters gathered at the rink on Dec. 18 for an afternoon of festive free skating and free-wheeling events.
The two-hour assembly arose (with no extraordinary clatter beyond a soundtrack of seasonal music and cascades of laughter) from a partnership between BBBSTS and the Serve First Foundation, a nonprofit organization that presented 33 BBBSTS children with new bicycles and safety helmets during its third year of Operation Santa's Handlebars.
South Charleston Police Department Cpl. Tony Messer created the Operation Santa's Handlebars program in 2020 after cultivating a sizeable online audience, initially by showcasing his video-game skills.
"I enjoy playing video games, so I started streaming myself playing video games," Messer explained. "I grew a community online; a lot of people like to watch a police officer play as a police officer in a video game. I was able to give people tips on how to become a police officer, how to get prepared to join the police academy and things of that nature."
As his virtual-realm viewership increased, Messer thought his platform might provide a benevolent way to bolster police and community relations. "We started a donation drive and the first thing we bought was bicycles."
Assisted by his cyber and in-person helpers, Messer raised nearly $2,000 in contributions to buy 40 bicycles for underprivileged children for Christmas. In 2021, approximately 60 bikes were funded and bestowed. About 100 were distributed over this holiday season.
As part of the Save First Foundation's mission, Messer and colleagues consult with South Charleston area elementary and middle schools, BBBSTS and other groups to collect a list of bicycle recipients each year.
Along with equipping youngsters with shiny, new wheels, the officer said, Operation Santa's Handlebars engenders goodwill.
"When kids see us these days, a lot of times, it's not always a good thing. If we're responding to a 911 call and there's a disturbance going on, kids are sometimes scared of us. This is a way for us to give a kid a good experience with a police officer, so they feel safe around us and more open to come up to us and have a conversation," Messer said.
He added the SCPD has been "super supportive" of his social media efforts. Collaborating with BBBSTS on the bike giveaways is "a win all the way around," he said. "They're helping with the kids, we're helping with the kids, and giving the kids a better Christmas is what we want to do."
Messer plans to expand Operation Santa's Handlebars countywide. Those interested in supporting the program can learn more by searching "Officer Messer" on Facebook, Instagram or TikTok platforms or going to www.servefirstllc.com.
The Big Brothers Big Sisters mission
The Big Brothers Big Sisters of America network began in 1904. It endeavors to form meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers ("Bigs") and youths ("Littles"), ages 5 through young adult. One of its nearly 250 agencies nationwide, BBBSTS serves Kanawha, Putnam, Cabell, Mason, and Wayne counties, along with Boyd, Carter, and Greenup counties in Kentucky and Lawrence County, Ohio.
Huntington based, BBBSTS expanded with a satellite office at 1021 Quarrier St. in Charleston in February. The Charleston office focuses on Kanawha and Putnam county placements.
"This bike giveaway is our first holiday event in Kanawha County," BBBSTS Executive Director Stephanie Hurley Collier said. "The goal is really to have some togetherness, time to interact and receive these wonderful bikes from the Serve First Foundation.
"We're approaching our 50th anniversary, and we provide professionally supported mentoring for youth (Collier often refers to "Littles" as the "kiddos") in our community. We do that by pairing caring, consistent adults with kiddos who need that kind of support in their lives. We serve kids from a whole variety of backgrounds -- there's not one particular life event or experience that makes a kid qualify for the program. We really want kids from a variety of situations who just need that caring, consistent adult in their lives."
Collier said the demand for mentors is constant, with approximately 70 youngsters on the current wait list.
A minimum of one year of "Big" commitment is requested. "I think a lot of adults who are hesitant to be a 'Big' are concerned about the time commitment," she said. "We have a school-based program and a community-based program (see related article). Community-based means you can take your kiddo out in the community environment, go get ice cream, go to a basketball game, whatever it may be. School-based programs take place during the day on site. That commitment is once a week, so, for the school-based program, we're just looking for someone who can go have lunch once a week at the school."
Two outings a month are requested for the community-based program. Collier suggests activities such as ice skating, sharing a pizza or going to a park. "It can be whatever works for you, your 'Little' and your 'Little''s family."
Collier also "walks the walk" as a repeat "Big" herself. "I'm in the school-based program and have a 'Little' at a local high school. I have lunch with her once a week and we chit chat, play little games and then go about our day. I can do that on my lunch break, and it fits nicely into my weekly schedule."
Applicants are interviewed to best match with a "Little," Collier said. "What kind of interests do they have? What are they hoping to get out of the program? What have their life experiences been?"
Applicants undergo background and reference checks. "If there's a parent or guardian who has a concern about the adult we're matching their kiddo with, that's a big part of the process. Ultimately, the parent does approve who the mentor will be."
'Bigs' building bonds
Renee Matusic, of Charleston, said she was spurred to become a "Big" four months ago, in part from pangs of "empty nest syndrome." "We're a blended family; between my husband and me, we have six birds in our nest, and the last one flew off to Marshall," she said, laughing. "I've always had a spirit of volunteerism. A friend of mine suggested becoming a 'Big,' so I got online, did a little research and applied."
Upon completing her interview and vetting, Matusic was paired with her "Little," Jaylynn, 10, from Hurricane. "We get together every Saturday. I pick her up at about 11 and keep her until about 5," Matusic said. "We usually go out to eat somewhere first. Our last outing, we did a mani/pedi; that was her first mani/pedi ever, so that was really a cool experience."
Matusic and Jaylynn have a favorite destination they inhabit most Saturdays. "We go to Crea8 Studios in St. Albans. They do a Family Fun Time from noon to 4 every Saturday. Jaylynn loves arts and crafts. She's actually an incredible little artist. The owner has been giving Jaylynn some art lessons. It's been really, really neat," Matusic said.
The duo have also spent part of their shared time at Hurricane City Park making bracelets, while their first get-together included perambulating through pumpkin patches at Gritt's Farm in Buffalo.
"Mainly, it's spending time together, getting to know each other -- it's been wonderful," Matusic said. "Her mother sent me a text that really warmed my heart. It said, 'This is the first time I've seen my daughter [again] in a really long time.' It's a win-win for both of us. It's helping her. It's helping me. I have the time to give, and her mother works nights, which is hard, because she sleeps during the day. She reached out, wanting someone to spend some time with her daughter, and I enjoy it tremendously."
George Washington High School junior Jenna Raupp became a "Big" earlier this year, along with some of her GW classmates, after hearing a presentation to National Honor Society students by BBBSTS Enrollment and Match Specialist Lori Conn.
"I thought it would be really cool to be there to help kids take their minds off of things that might be going on," Raupp said.
Raupp and her "Little" also pursue artistic endeavors during their weekly encounters at the "Little"'s elementary school. "She's very creative," the 16-year-old said, "so we do a lot of craft stuff, color, take felt paper and put stickers on it, things like that.
"It's been really good so far. It's really rewarding. I think we're forming a relationship where she can trust me and feel comfortable around me. She likes the British accent I use; she calls it my 'fun voice.' I showed it to her the first time we met and she wanted me to show all her friends," Raupp said.
University of Charleston Cadance Burger-O'Dell and her 10-year-old "Little," Quincy, have made friendship bracelets for each other during their partnership time at his school.
"Every week on a certain day that matches both of our schedules, I pull him out of class for an hour and we go play games, do coloring activities and other things like that," Burger-O'Dell said.
Quincy added he likes his "Big Sister" and wouldn't be interested at all in trading her for another one.
Collier encourages those interested to consider joining the BBBSTS program in 2023, noting that January will be National Mentoring Month. "I feel it's a small commitment for the rewards you get out of it," she said of her own experiences as a "Big."
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Tri-State "Bigs," "Littles," family members, and other supporters gathered at the rink on Dec. 18 for an afternoon of festive free skating and free-wheeling events.
The two-hour assembly arose (with no extraordinary clatter beyond a soundtrack of seasonal music and cascades of laughter) from a partnership between BBBSTS and the Serve First Foundation, a nonprofit organization that presented 33 BBBSTS children with new bicycles and safety helmets during its third year of Operation Santa's Handlebars.
South Charleston Police Department Cpl. Tony Messer created the Operation Santa's Handlebars program in 2020 after cultivating a sizeable online audience, initially by showcasing his video-game skills.
"I enjoy playing video games, so I started streaming myself playing video games," Messer explained. "I grew a community online; a lot of people like to watch a police officer play as a police officer in a video game. I was able to give people tips on how to become a police officer, how to get prepared to join the police academy and things of that nature."
As his virtual-realm viewership increased, Messer thought his platform might provide a benevolent way to bolster police and community relations. "We started a donation drive and the first thing we bought was bicycles."
Assisted by his cyber and in-person helpers, Messer raised nearly $2,000 in contributions to buy 40 bicycles for underprivileged children for Christmas. In 2021, approximately 60 bikes were funded and bestowed. About 100 were distributed over this holiday season.
As part of the Save First Foundation's mission, Messer and colleagues consult with South Charleston area elementary and middle schools, BBBSTS and other groups to collect a list of bicycle recipients each year.
Along with equipping youngsters with shiny, new wheels, the officer said, Operation Santa's Handlebars engenders goodwill.
"When kids see us these days, a lot of times, it's not always a good thing. If we're responding to a 911 call and there's a disturbance going on, kids are sometimes scared of us. This is a way for us to give a kid a good experience with a police officer, so they feel safe around us and more open to come up to us and have a conversation," Messer said.
He added the SCPD has been "super supportive" of his social media efforts. Collaborating with BBBSTS on the bike giveaways is "a win all the way around," he said. "They're helping with the kids, we're helping with the kids, and giving the kids a better Christmas is what we want to do."
Messer plans to expand Operation Santa's Handlebars countywide. Those interested in supporting the program can learn more by searching "Officer Messer" on Facebook, Instagram or TikTok platforms or going to www.servefirstllc.com.
The Big Brothers Big Sisters mission
The Big Brothers Big Sisters of America network began in 1904. It endeavors to form meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers ("Bigs") and youths ("Littles"), ages 5 through young adult. One of its nearly 250 agencies nationwide, BBBSTS serves Kanawha, Putnam, Cabell, Mason, and Wayne counties, along with Boyd, Carter, and Greenup counties in Kentucky and Lawrence County, Ohio.
Huntington based, BBBSTS expanded with a satellite office at 1021 Quarrier St. in Charleston in February. The Charleston office focuses on Kanawha and Putnam county placements.
"This bike giveaway is our first holiday event in Kanawha County," BBBSTS Executive Director Stephanie Hurley Collier said. "The goal is really to have some togetherness, time to interact and receive these wonderful bikes from the Serve First Foundation.
"We're approaching our 50th anniversary, and we provide professionally supported mentoring for youth (Collier often refers to "Littles" as the "kiddos") in our community. We do that by pairing caring, consistent adults with kiddos who need that kind of support in their lives. We serve kids from a whole variety of backgrounds -- there's not one particular life event or experience that makes a kid qualify for the program. We really want kids from a variety of situations who just need that caring, consistent adult in their lives."
Collier said the demand for mentors is constant, with approximately 70 youngsters on the current wait list.
A minimum of one year of "Big" commitment is requested. "I think a lot of adults who are hesitant to be a 'Big' are concerned about the time commitment," she said. "We have a school-based program and a community-based program (see related article). Community-based means you can take your kiddo out in the community environment, go get ice cream, go to a basketball game, whatever it may be. School-based programs take place during the day on site. That commitment is once a week, so, for the school-based program, we're just looking for someone who can go have lunch once a week at the school."
Two outings a month are requested for the community-based program. Collier suggests activities such as ice skating, sharing a pizza or going to a park. "It can be whatever works for you, your 'Little' and your 'Little''s family."
Collier also "walks the walk" as a repeat "Big" herself. "I'm in the school-based program and have a 'Little' at a local high school. I have lunch with her once a week and we chit chat, play little games and then go about our day. I can do that on my lunch break, and it fits nicely into my weekly schedule."
Applicants are interviewed to best match with a "Little," Collier said. "What kind of interests do they have? What are they hoping to get out of the program? What have their life experiences been?"
Applicants undergo background and reference checks. "If there's a parent or guardian who has a concern about the adult we're matching their kiddo with, that's a big part of the process. Ultimately, the parent does approve who the mentor will be."
'Bigs' building bonds
Renee Matusic, of Charleston, said she was spurred to become a "Big" four months ago, in part from pangs of "empty nest syndrome." "We're a blended family; between my husband and me, we have six birds in our nest, and the last one flew off to Marshall," she said, laughing. "I've always had a spirit of volunteerism. A friend of mine suggested becoming a 'Big,' so I got online, did a little research and applied."
Upon completing her interview and vetting, Matusic was paired with her "Little," Jaylynn, 10, from Hurricane. "We get together every Saturday. I pick her up at about 11 and keep her until about 5," Matusic said. "We usually go out to eat somewhere first. Our last outing, we did a mani/pedi; that was her first mani/pedi ever, so that was really a cool experience."
Matusic and Jaylynn have a favorite destination they inhabit most Saturdays. "We go to Crea8 Studios in St. Albans. They do a Family Fun Time from noon to 4 every Saturday. Jaylynn loves arts and crafts. She's actually an incredible little artist. The owner has been giving Jaylynn some art lessons. It's been really, really neat," Matusic said.
The duo have also spent part of their shared time at Hurricane City Park making bracelets, while their first get-together included perambulating through pumpkin patches at Gritt's Farm in Buffalo.
"Mainly, it's spending time together, getting to know each other -- it's been wonderful," Matusic said. "Her mother sent me a text that really warmed my heart. It said, 'This is the first time I've seen my daughter [again] in a really long time.' It's a win-win for both of us. It's helping her. It's helping me. I have the time to give, and her mother works nights, which is hard, because she sleeps during the day. She reached out, wanting someone to spend some time with her daughter, and I enjoy it tremendously."
George Washington High School junior Jenna Raupp became a "Big" earlier this year, along with some of her GW classmates, after hearing a presentation to National Honor Society students by BBBSTS Enrollment and Match Specialist Lori Conn.
"I thought it would be really cool to be there to help kids take their minds off of things that might be going on," Raupp said.
Raupp and her "Little" also pursue artistic endeavors during their weekly encounters at the "Little"'s elementary school. "She's very creative," the 16-year-old said, "so we do a lot of craft stuff, color, take felt paper and put stickers on it, things like that.
"It's been really good so far. It's really rewarding. I think we're forming a relationship where she can trust me and feel comfortable around me. She likes the British accent I use; she calls it my 'fun voice.' I showed it to her the first time we met and she wanted me to show all her friends," Raupp said.
University of Charleston Cadance Burger-O'Dell and her 10-year-old "Little," Quincy, have made friendship bracelets for each other during their partnership time at his school.
"Every week on a certain day that matches both of our schedules, I pull him out of class for an hour and we go play games, do coloring activities and other things like that," Burger-O'Dell said.
Quincy added he likes his "Big Sister" and wouldn't be interested at all in trading her for another one.
Collier encourages those interested to consider joining the BBBSTS program in 2023, noting that January will be National Mentoring Month. "I feel it's a small commitment for the rewards you get out of it," she said of her own experiences as a "Big."
Comments
Post a Comment