‘The Big Celebration’ Showcases Community Potential

The 13th annual “The Big Celebration” Tuesday showcased the community Big Brothers Big Sisters could create.
Director of Community Development - Kosciusko Tammy Smith said every year, she stands in front of the audience at “The Big Celebration” and tells everyone it’s been a great year. This year, she was going to do the same “because it’s true.”
“Every year, more people from this community step up to mentor kids,” Tammy said. This year, 204 kids are being served in the community and 51 of those kids are new this year, “so we’re really excited about that.”
For many years, Tammy said she hoped to bring BBBS’ high school leadership program to Kosciusko County. This year, the program was launched at Wawasee High School where 12 students are mentoring younger children at nearby elementary schools.
Tammy said an entire small town came together this year. Mentone community members and local businesses, including Mid-West Spring & Stamping, helped BBBS to recruit enough volunteers needed to launch the new Lunch Buddy program at Mentone Elementary School.
“But that’s what community is all about,” Tammy said.
Ultimately, the state of the county isn’t measured only in dollars raised or matches made. It’s measured in relationships, in the Bigs that showed up and the child who knows someone will be where they’re needed.
She then presented a video presentation about the relationship of Big Brother Joe Sobek and Little Brother Clint Douglas.
In the video, Douglas talked about not initially knowing what the program was about. Sobek talked about being nervous about being a Big Brother due to not knowing how to talk to kids. They talked about some of the things they’ve done together and how their relationship has changed.
In the video, Douglas said he thought kids who had things worse than him could be helped by mentorship in guiding them in the right path and so they know they don’t always have to go to a family member to talk. Sobek said Douglas was a part of the family now and anticipates to be in his life for as long as Douglas needs him.
After the video, Sobek talked about how he got into BBBS. One of the first things he learned was “it’s not about what you’re doing. It’s just that you’re doing it together.” The activity didn’t matter as much as spending time together.
Sobek said he’s proud of everything Douglas has done and hanging out with him reminds him of what really matters.
Douglas said, initially, he didn’t know what BBBS was going to be like. He thanked Sobek for being there for him. Because of BBBS and Sobek, Douglas said he knows he’s not navigating issues alone.
During the celebration, Michelle Smith LeDrew presented the 2026 Charles D. Smith Award.
Smith LeDrew said Tuesday’s event was meaningful to her and her family as they celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Charles D. Smith Award. She thanked those involved in honoring her father.
“If you knew Dad, you knew that people were at the heart of everything he did. He loved his family, his friends and this community deeply. He was incredibly generous, not just with his resources, but something even more valueable, his time. He showed up, he invested in people and he had this wonderful ability to make whoever he was talking to feel like they mattered,” she said, adding she was able to see her father serve, lead, give, encourage and make a difference. “Not because he wanted recognition, but because that’s who he was. And even after 11 years, I miss his presence and I still find myself thinking about the way he lived his life and the impact he had, not only on me, but also on you. And that’s what makes this award so special.”
She said the award allows her dad’s legacy to keep moving forward through someone else who believes in showing up, giving back and making the community better.
Smith LeDrew announced Jefferson Hankins as the recipient of the award.
There was a video tribute to Hankins, which talked about his involvement in his church and the Big Brothers Big Sisters Board. After the video tribute, Tammy asked Hankins to come up on stage to accept the award and apologized for keeping the information from him.
Hankins said he felt honored in receiving the award.
During the celebration, there was a fashion show, with Bigs and Littles showing off clothing from Glam Boutique and Male Fashions. There was also a silent and live auction.