Thank you for your support Alliant Energy Foundation!
Lakeshore Estate Resale is another supporter of Big Brothers Big Sisters and is an extension of Santa Cause that creates a year long ability to support charities. Shop or Donate for a Cause. When you shop/donate through Lakeshore Estate Resale, you are supporting an alliance of local non-profits, serving local causes.
You can shop their retial location at 80 N Walworth St. Williams Bay, WI 53191 between 10-4 on Saturday/Sunday (Or by Appointment).
“Santa Cause” is a super charity, which supports Big Brothers Big Sisters and existing charities in Walworth County referred to as: “The Twelve Charities of Christmas” & performs Random Acts of Kindness throughout our community. This year it will run from November 23rd through December 30th at Pier 290/Gage Marine in Williams Bay.
We want to thank our sponsors for making this event happen. Their support helps promote programs for the youth we serve.
Please join us October 28th for a special evening to celebrate & support Big Brothers Big Sisters of Rock, Walworth & Jefferson Counties. Visit our events page for more information.
Please visit our upcoming events page for registration forms.
LOCAL PROGRAMS SUPPORT AREA YOUTH
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Rock, Walworth and Jefferson Counties (BBBS) have received funding from The Beloit Women's Fund and the Stateline Community Foundation and the Beloit Junior Women in support of their E3 program,( standing for Encourage, Empower and Energize), that will be mentoring youth victims of Human Trafficking.
This new program, developed in partnership with the Janesville Police Department and the Janesville School District will offer 90 minute mentoring per week to youth in need of the support. As Rock County and the State of Wisconsin move forward in their plans to help these youth move out of the trafficking life, it is important that programs such as E3 are in place to help the youth identify a positive path to a productive life.
As the program grows it is the intent of BBBS to reach out to Law Enforcement in Beloit and the surrounding area to expand the program throughout Rock, Walworth and Jefferson Counties.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Rock, Walworth and Jefferson Counties appreciate the support of the Beloit Women's Fund and the Stateline Community Foundation for this program and the youth it serves.
If you would like information on this program please call 262-728-8865 and ask to speak with Pam.
If you're a college-bound, soon-to-be Delavan-Darien High School graduate, there's probably no better news to receive than what Jesus Garcia found in his email mailbox yesterday.
He was awarded the University of Southern California Trustee Scholarship, a full-tuition award worth $53,440 for the 2017-18 academic year. The scholarship is renewable for eight semesters, provided Garcia makes satisfactory progress toward his degree and upholds USC's standards for conduct and academic integrity.
“You are part of a very select group of students chosen for this award,” reads a letter he received from the university's admissions office.
“He is absolutely a great kid, and a great student. Jesus is very deserving of this award and I am incredibly proud of his accomplishments,” said DDHS Principal Jim Karedes, one of the first at DDHS to find out about the award.
As a recipient, Garcia is eligible to other perks, such as applying for housing in the McCarthy Honors College in the new USC Village. He also will receive personalized academic and scholarship advising by USC Academic Honors and Fellowships, and can join the Trojan Scholar Society, an exclusive student organization that programs academic, social and cultural events for the personal and professional development of the university's top students.
What was it like when he saw the message from USC?
“Boom, I blew up,” Garcia said, noting he was anxious in waiting about a month for a response. “I told my dad (Jesus Sr.). I was screaming it to his face. I showed him the screen of the computer and he was just gazing at it, taking it all in. He was speechless. I told my mom (Maria) and she gave me a hug. She started tearing up. I loved it.”
Garcia is a first-generation college student in his family. His parents never were educated past high school, he said.
“Getting accepted into such a prestigious university, along with a full-tuition scholarship, is not only an accomplishment to myself, but it's also a big accomplishment to my parents and my whole family,” Garcia said.
Garcia said he worked hard to put together the “perfect essay” on the application and to get his grades up to where they needed to be for the school to consider accepting him (USC accepts only 16.5 percent of all applicants). He took the ACT test three times until he scored high enough where he was satisfied he could make it into USC and have a shot at the scholarship. He was also very active in school sports, extra-curricular activities and community service, which he said gave his application a huge boost.
He credits his teachers and the course offerings and extra-curricular offerings with his success, as well as a supportive community.
“The education I received, not only did I challenge myself with hard courses, such as honors and (Advanced Placement) courses, but my teachers always sought out to help me in any way they could,” he said. “Having DDHS be such a close, tight-knit community with the city of Delavan has made it so much easier for me to gain resources that wouldn't be available if I was in, say, a city that was no so close and bonded like Delavan is. Delavan-Darien, I love the school.”
Garcia plans to double-major in acting and cinematic arts, despite having only started acting in his junior year of high school. He loved performing (breakdancing at school dances and at pep rallies, especially), but only got into acting at the urging of a close friend, he said. Once on the stage, he was hooked.
“I'm a novice, no doubt about it, but I'm ready to embark on something huge,” Garcia said. “Overall, my biggest goal is to become a successful actor.
I'm not talking like, 'I've seen him here or there.' I'm talking about blockbuster movies. I want my own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.”
He chose USC because it's one of the top theater and cinematography schools in the country, and Hollywood and major movie studios are just minutes from campus.
He even bought a replica Hollywood Walk of Fame star keychain with his name on it while visiting there during his junior year. It's a motivator he's not shy of talking about.
“I have it on keychain as a reminder as to what my overall goal is,” he said. “Whenever i see it, it reminds me to keep striving, to keep grinding, to one day achieve my dreams.”
Moving west to a La La Land will be a big switch for a young man who grew up in the the small, close-knit community of Delavan but, “at this point, getting accepted into USC and receiving such a prestigious scholarship, anything is possible. I'm ready for it.”
With confidence, we can say yes, he is ready for it, and so much more. Congratulations Jesus! #DDCometProud!
BIGS IN BLUE has been launched in our service area and we are busy matching Law Enforcement officers with youth in our Youth Mentoring Programs.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — One of the country's oldest mentoring organizations is starting a program pairing police with youth in an effort to address the fraught relationship between officers and the communities they serve.
Already operating in several of their affiliate branches, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America's “Bigs in Blue” program is set to begin in January. Officers will volunteer to serve as a “Big” for a child, interacting weekly for 30 minutes to an hour at the child's school, though longer visits outside of a school setting may happen depending on the relationship. Child participants will be elementary or middle school age.
Big Brothers Big Sisters President Pam Iorio said expanding the program nationally stands to change perceptions for both police and children.
“Right now, there is an identifiable problem with poor relations between police and communities,” said Iorio. “This helps the police officer connect to the families they serve. They're not going into a neighborhood to make an arrest; they're going into a neighborhood to form a bond. It helps that young person see the police officers as a friend.”
The shootings of unarmed black people by police in recent years have brought attention to the issue of disparate treatment in some communities, particularly ones of color, by law enforcement — creating a sense of distrust and skepticism between officers and residents. That has led to protests seeking police reforms and even rioting in some places.
The tensions also have divided communities, in some cases, along racial lines. One-on-one interactions could make a difference and help to change the conversation, said Iorio, a former mayor of Tampa, Florida, who had police chiefs who served in the Big Brother Big Sister program.
“This is one relationship at a time,” said Iorio. “That's how we're going to solve problems in this country.”
Big Brothers Big Sisters is raising money to support the initiative and has a goal of $5 million, which would fund the program for one-third of the organization's 300 local affiliates, including the Philadelphia chapter.
For Marcus Allen, CEO of the Independence Region that includes Philadelphia, Bigs in Blue is personal. As a 10-year-old growing up near Augusta, Georgia, Allen's first mentor was a police officer who took an interest in him and encouraged him to pursue his education.
“I know from experience that there are some really good police officers out there who are doing a really great job and have a really difficult job to do, which is totally separate from some of the stuff that we're seeing where unarmed black men are getting shot,” said Allen, who is black.
Philadelphia Police Department Commissioner Richard Ross will serve as national spokesman for the program. He said he expects tremendous interest from officers, many of whom already volunteer their time to work with young people in the city.
Ross said he is encouraged that the program could help improve relations with police and communities.
“We've got to fight against a powerful narrative that is potentially in jeopardy of making young people believe a certain thing about all police officers,” Ross said. “This is an extension of what we do and … an opportunity to show people who we are.”
Ross, who is black and has mentored young men in Philadelphia himself, said the program could also help educate and boost morale among his officers.
“It's easy if you're in a uniform to feel like it's always 'them against us,'” he said. “You want them to know they do have more support. Having regular conversations about things other than policing, you can't help but see beyond the uniform.”
Bigs In Blue: www.bigsinblue.org
Origional Article: 'Bigs in Blue' will try to bridge gap by pairing cops, youth
For additional information, please contact Big Brothers Big Sisters at 262-728-8865.
Twenty four years ago Mark Stinebrink started the Stinebrink Golf For Kids’ Sake event to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters, Rock, Walworth & Jefferson Counties. July 14 Golf for Kids’ Sake 2016 was held at Evergreen Golf Club. In those 24 years Mr. Stinebrink and his many vendors, family and friends he have generously contributed well over $500,000 to the organization.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Rock, Walworth and Jefferson Counties would like to thank Mark Stinebrink and all those who helped make this happen.
- Stinebrink Piggly Wiggly
- The Stinebrink Family
- Baker Tilly
- Town Bank
- Giraffe Electric
- Patrick Cudahy
- Bernatello’s Pizza
- Stiney’s Gophers
- Dr. Pepper/Snapple
- Guinness-Diageo
- Lake Geneva Jaycees
- Old Wisconsin Cheese
- US Foods
- Nottestad Memorial
- Southern Wisconsin News
- Dean Foods
- Alder Group
- Godfrey, Leibsle, Blackbourn & Howarth, SC
- BMO Harris Bank
- Coca-Cola
- CJW, Inc.
- Integrated College Planning
- Lake Geneva Chiropractic
- Miller Coors
- Kunes Country
- Palermo’s Pizza
- Del Monte Foods
- Madison Top
- Saz’s
- Lillig & Thorsness, Ltd.
- Pepsi Beverages Company
- Delicato Family Vineyards
- Chicago Baking
- Novotny Deli Provisions
- Boar’s Head Brand
- Witt Beverages/Black Bear Soda
- Badger Inventory
- Pan-O-Gold
- Pett Distributors
- Aramark
- Blue Bunny
- Badger Liquor
- Blackhawk CCU
- Fox Brothers
- Frito Lay
- Grebes Bakery
- Jays Potato Chips
- Johnson Brothers
- KFM, Inc.
- Lakeland Marketing
- Plas-Tech Engineering
- Russ Davis Wholesale
- Professional Supply
- Risk Management
- RJ Amann Builders
- Sperino’s Little Italy
- Willkomm Construction Services
- Ahler Group
- Xerox
- Nature’s Fury Nutri Drink
- Southern Lake
- WLKG
- Chris’s Buddies
- Koch Group
Big Brothers Big Sisters wants to introduce our Big Brother and Big Sister of the year 2016. This honor reflects the dedication of Harry and Sally to volunteering to help the children in our community.
Harry volunteered to become a big brother in 2012 and has been matched with his little brother, Tyler for 3 1/2 years. Sally has volunteered with BBBS for 6 years; She was first matched with her Little Sister Joslyn in our Lunch Buddies program and then for the past 3 years they have been in both Lunch Buddies and in our Community Based program.
In addition to their time with their little brother/sister; Harry and Sally both are regular participants in Big Brothers Big Sisters events in the community. They have each worked to support BBBS's fund raising efforts and to make our community more aware of the positive impact of mentoring that is available to families through BBBS. Congratulations Harry and Sally.