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United Way, Big Brothers Big Sisters team up for fundraiser

September 19, 2007|Kristy Rainwater

United Way of the Bluegrass partnered with Big Brothers Big Sisters to kick off the annual fundraising campaign in Jessamine County on Wednesday, Sept. 12, at the newly developed Big Brothers Big Sisters Campland in Nicholasville.

"This year we decided to partner with one of our agencies to showcase how our funds are distributed," Jenny Allen, director of major and planned gifts for United Way explained.

This marked the first time the two organizations teamed up for a kick off.

The event paired up approximately a dozen 'littles' with adults for about an hour, where they participated in a scavenger hunt and word puzzle and afterward just 'hung-out' together.

Selena Taylor, regional coordinator for Big Brothers Big Sisters, said children ages 6 through 13 who are in need of a good role model outside of their family are paired with adult volunteers for a mentoring program.

Taylor said that the program asks for a one year commitment, but that they hope for longer periods of time.

The program is currently in need of volunteers age 18 and older.

According to a national study on the impact of mentoring, 'littles' who meet with their 'bigs' for at least a year are 40 percent less likely to start using drugs, 27 percent less likely to start drinking, 33 percent less likely to act violently and 52 percent less likely to skip a day of school.

Currently there are 400 children in central Kentucky waiting to be paired with a mentor. Dorothy Staley, a single mother of four, said her son Wesley has recently been approved for the program and is one of those 400 children waiting for a mentor.

"As a parent, I get to have a voice in who he is paired up with, but I trust their judgment as well," Staley said, adding that she hopes "It will help guide my son on the right path by being with a male role model."

Duck Derby

Pecco has been a major sponsor of the Big Brothers Big Sisters through the annual Duck Derby held every August at Lexington Green. The derby is a family fun event with lots of free stuff.

Patrons can purchase a number related to a duck for $5 and if their duck wins first place they win a hefty $5,000. Prizes are awarded for the first eight finishers.

According to volunteer event coordinator, Dale Suttles, "Pecco's involvement is invaluable."

"For the past five years Pecco has supplied the heavy duty water booms to make the racing track, the backhoe and loader to dump the ducks into the water and the manpower for them," he said.

Each year Pecco has also entered the duck decorating contest, separate from the water race, which is judged by the public.

This year Pecco won first place with their Spiderman duck entry.

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