By Leticia Juarez Sisson –
OAKHURST – Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Valley (BBBS) celebrated last week at the Summer Splash at Yosemite High School for those who participated in this year’s program. The Big Brothers Big Sisters program in the Oakhurst area started in February and continues to unite their bigs and littles with a little summer fun!
“The program in Oakhurst has been very successful due to the help from the high school and elementary schools,” says Zenia Brizendine, Program Coordinator of Madera County Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central California. “With the support of True Value Home Center Oakhurst, we have successfully matched 15 bigs and littles.”
Brizendine says the kids all had a great time getting to know each other while participating in various activities.
“During the last session of the program, the bigs and littles wrote letters to each other which were mailed by BBBS staff during the summer vacation. You can see the faces of these children and the impact their bigs have made in their lives. We hope the community will continue to show their support in any way that they can,” she adds.
A total of 20 elementary school children participated in this school year’s program and approximately 14 will be attending the summer splash.
“With our other sites, we always have some type of event during the summer as a way to keep the bigs and their littles in touch with each other,” said Brizendine.
In addition to the summer splash party, 14 littles will also receive backpacks filled with school supplies donated by True Value Home Center Oakhurst. The sponsorship from True Value was invaluable this year, and additional sponsorships would help that number grow.
“Our children are now grown, and they were raised in Oakhurst, attending the same schools these littles are attending,” explains Theresa Bryant of True Value. “Until we spoke with Diane, the Executive Director of BBBS, we were unaware of the void in children’s programs in our area. We wanted to do more than just a onetime donation, and so we thought — what a perfect fit for our business to work with BBBS and help them grow.”
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central California
