Over $9,000 raised for bigs and littles

On Saturday, the South Hill Bowling Centre was full of cheers and laughter as "bigs" and "littles" enjoyed a night dedicated to them.
It was the inaugural Big Brothers Big Sisters bowl for kids' sake fundraiser and Terry Renwick, executive director for Big Brothers of Regina, said "(the fundraiser) was a huge success."
Raising over $9,200, Renwick said it is great to see events like this come together, especially after all of hard work the Moose Jaw Big Brothers Big Sisters put into the event.
He said programs that reach out to children in the community like Big Brothers and Big Sisters are so important because they have been shown to improve a child's attendance in school, behaviour and relationships with others.
"As a single parent you sometimes don't have the time to go out and do those little extra things like go to football games or play soccer in the park. So what we do is match a little, which is a child between the ages of six to 19, with a big, which is a responsible adult.
All we ask is that (volunteers) spend at least three hours a week doing these small but fun things with the kids."
Big Brothers ig Sisters had been out of the Moose Jaw community for a few years before being resurrected last year, yet the need for such a program has always been present, said Renwick.
He said in a city the size of Moose Jaw there are probably around 400 to 500 kids that could benefit from the program.
However, because Moose Jaw's program is still in its beginning stages there are not enough volunteers to facilitate that many children.
Renwick said it also costs Big Brothers Big Sisters approximately $1,400 a year to maintain a match. However, the end result of a successful match is priceless.
He said there have been matches that have been so successful they have developed into lifelong friendships.
To become a big brother or big sister, Renwick said "all one has to do is apply."
He said there is an application process, background check and training program that must be completed prior to entering the program.
He said matches are based on common interests and the cost of being a big brother or big sister is minimal.
"We do receive a lot of donated tickets to sporting events, shows and more. Local sports teams are great for that kind of stuff and the kids just love it."
Renwick said the experience of working with Big Brothers and Big Sisters is not only rewarding for the kids but also the volunteers.
"You have no idea how many times I have had people tell me that they think they took more from the experience than the kids did and that is always great to hear."

Lyndsay McCready can be reached
at 691-1256.