Big Sisters needs volunteers in Burnaby to mentor young girls and help them with homework.
There are 13 local girls waiting to be matched with a big sister, and six more who need help with schoolwork, and some of them have been waiting for more than a year.
Big Sisters provides older female mentors for young girls, and the organization’s Study Buddy program partners girls with women who help with an hour of homework once a week. Volunteer big sisters spend a minimum of two hours a week with their little counterparts.
Full disclosure here: I am a volunteer with Big Sisters, and I’ve been partnered with a young girl for almost two years now. I got interested in the idea while reporting on Big Sisters for the Burnaby NOW.
I have to say, I really enjoy being a big sister, and I urge women to sign up. There’s so much pressure young girls are facing nowadays, and you can make a huge difference in someone’s life, just by spending time with her.
My “little” is now 13 years old and just started high school. She’s smart, cool, caring and a lot of fun to be around. (I’ve also learned more about the British boy band One Direction than any adult woman should ever know.)
We also get to do fun things together, because Big Sisters organizes events or has free ticket giveaways. We’ve gone sailing on a catamaran off Jericho Beach and kayaking in Deep Cove. We recently went to a “beauty night” at Axis Salon in Vancouver, where all the little sisters got free haircuts.
To get involved, or for more information, call 604-873-4525 or go to www.bigsisters.bc.ca.
Diamond Gala coming up
Has a year gone by already?
It’s once again time for the Burnaby Neighbourhood House’s annual fundraiser.
The 2014 Diamond Ball Gala will be on Feb. 15, and tickets are $100, or $900 if you buy enough for a table of 10. This year’s theme is “Grand Prix in Monte Carlo Night,” and the evening includes a Rod Stewart tribute-act, dinner and a silent auction. The piece de résistance is the diamond jewelry that organizers are giving away as a prize.
The gala starts at 6 p.m. at the Burnaby Firefighters Club at 6515 Bonsor Ave.
Proceeds go to the Burnaby Neighbourhood House, which runs a wide variety of community programs aimed at bringing neighbours closer together. For more info or tickets, email [email protected] or call 604-431-0400.
