Oxford County organization celebrates mentorship, community support and the people helping young people across the region
A flag was raised in Tillsonburg on Monday, as Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oxford County marked September as Big Brothers Big Sisters Month.
The month is a chance to celebrate mentorship, recognize the community that supports the organization and raise awareness about the ongoing need for mentors.
Big Brothers Big Sisters Day is this Thursday, September 18th.
At Monday's flag-raising ceremony in Tillsonburg, Fund Development Manager for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oxford County, Nicole Killaire, said the organization has the privilege of supporting more than 650 young people across Oxford County every year.
Killaire also used the occasion to recognize the many people who make that work possible—including donors, families, supporters and, most importantly, the young people themselves.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oxford County says mentorship can take many forms, but at its heart is a caring relationship that helps young people build confidence, resilience and a sense that someone is in their corner.
The organization is encouraging people across Oxford County to become involved during Big Brothers Big Sisters Month, whether that's by volunteering as a mentor, making a donation or helping spread the word about the need for mentors.
This year's month-long campaign also includes a matching-donation opportunity. POW Engineering is matching donations to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oxford County during September, up to a total of $4,000.
The organization is also working with Two Row Creeations on its “Turn the Town Teal & Orange” initiative, inviting local businesses, offices and workplaces to decorate with teal and orange during the month.
Teal represents mentorship and the role it plays in helping young people develop confidence and resilience. Orange recognizes the children who never came home from residential schools, as well as Survivors, families and generations affected by that history.
Big Brothers Big Sisters Oxford is also holding an online 50/50 raffle throughout the month, with the draw taking place October 1.
For an organization built around one-to-one and group mentoring, September is ultimately about celebrating the relationships that can make a lasting difference in a young person's life—and encouraging more people in Oxford County to become part of that work.
