City raises flag to honour Big Brothers Big Sisters

By Jeremy Appel on September 26, 2017.

jappel@medicinehatnews.com @MHNJeremyAppel

The Big Brothers and Big Sisters flag was raised at city hall Monday in honour of Big Brothers and Big Sisters Awareness Week in Medicine Hat — the last week of September.

Volunteers were in attendance, as well as BBBS Medicine Hat and District executive director Holly Stadnicki and Mayor Ted Clugston.

“We provide adult mentors for children. The overall goal is to help children develop stronger confidence,” said Stadnicki. “Mentorship builds confidence in children.”

She said she was “very pleased” the mayor chose to honour their group for the final week of BBBS Awareness Month.

“We’ll be out in the community a lot more, speaking about programs. We’re encouraging the community to get involved (and) get behind Big Brothers and Big Sisters,” Stadnicki said.

Adults aren’t restricted to just serving as mentors, she added. They can also volunteer at the group’s events.

The group has a shortage of male volunteers, so the BBBS is focused on “putting ‘men’ back in ‘mentor,'” said Stadnicki.

“That is a problem right across the country,” she said. “We find we have a lot of boys looking for a positive male role model in their life and yet we have less men stepping forward to be those mentors.”

Stadnicki emphasized that volunteering only requires an hour or two each week.

Those interested in getting involved, whether male or female, can call 403-527-6640 or visit online at http://www.bbbsmedhat.ca.

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