For Kosciusko Kids, Big Brothers Become Forever Family
For Kosciusko Kids, Big Brothers Become Forever Family
Posted
Staff Report-
For Kosciusko Kids, Big Brothers Become Forever FamilyStarting July 18, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Indiana began a recruitment campaign to enlist 500 new Bigs, School Buddies and volunteers in only 50 days.
The recruitment mission is near and dear to Kosciusko local Barry Wampler’s heart, according to a news release from Big Brother Big Sister. In 2009, he became lunch buddies with a young boy named Gage, who felt isolated from his classmates and worried he talked too much. On a weekly basis, Wampler and Gage met during lunch and recess in a program facilitated by Big Brothers Big Sisters.
During these meetings, they laughed, chatted and became closer friends than either of them expected. In elementary school, Gage looked forward to his meetings with Wampler so much he would run to the office to ask, “Is Barry here yet?” stated the release.
Over time, Gage and Wampler became formal Big and Little Brothers through the agency’s community-based match program. Here, their relationship truly flourished as Gage moved from elementary to middle school. Wampler helped Gage with his homework and engaged his intellect with strategy games, starting with checkers when Gage was young and moving up to chess, Yahtzee and other puzzles to help Gage grow.
“When I started with Gage in January of his first-grade year, he had difficulties relating to other students,” Wampler said. “As the years progressed he … made great strides in social skills. By his sixth-grade year at Lincoln, he had grown into a friendly young man.”
Right from the start, Gage has proclaimed Wampler is the best Big Brother in the world. Since then, their relationship has only grown, stated the release. In 2017, after 8.5 years of support and kindness to Gage, Wampler was nominated for Big of the Year – a high honor presented only to the best of Bigs, stated the release.
But how did Wampler become a Big? It wasn’t through family or friends. He had no personal experience with the agency. All it took was a stray recruitment email he opened at work. When Wampler saw the call for volunteers, he knew he had to try – and the relationship he’s cultivated with Gage has been the greatest reward a man could ever ask for.
With “500 Bigs in 50 Days,” Big Brothers Big Sisters hopes to connect more Kosciusko residents like Wampler with local children in need of a good role model, stated the release.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Indiana is a local branch of the nation’s largest donation- and volunteer-supported mentoring network, covering 12 counties including Kosciusko.
Big Brothers Big Sisters believes every child has the innate ability to grow and succeed. The organization facilitates meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers and children in search of a mentor, stated the release.
To become a volunteer or donate to Big Brothers Big Sisters, email Tammy Smith at tammy.smith@bbbsnei.org or visit www.bbbsnei.org.
