The BIG Picture – August Newsletter

August Newsletter-The BIG Picture

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the 7 Rivers Region

THE BIG PICTURE

August 2015

An agency-wide e-newsletter to keep you updated on Big Brothers Big Sisters of the 7 Rivers Region. Our goal is to keep you updated on local activities in the communities we serve.

Staff Directory

La Crosse County Office

432 Division Street

La Crosse, WI 54603

608-782-2227

Greg Voss

Executive Director

Lyndsey Langer

Match Specialist

Justin McKnight

Director of Program Services / REACH Coordinator

Jeff Murawski

Community Outreach & Quality Assurance Coordinator

Ashley Santolin

Community Relations Manager

Heidi Svee

Operations Manager

Winona County Office

51 E 4th St, Suite 401

Winona, MN 55987

507-452-2227

Kristen Lynne

Program Manager

Vernon County Office

608-632-1792

Bill Townsley

Match Specialist

*You can email a staff member by clicking on their name above.*

In This Issue

Quick Links

New Matches!

Not Pictured

BB Jude & LB Braydin

BB Bob & LB Isaiah

BS Sadie & LS Cecelia

Match Anniversaries

8 Years

BB Dave & LB Richard

6 Years

BS Alyson & LB Darius

4 Years

BB Tim & LB Greg

2 Years

BS Jordyn & LS Hailey

BS Grace & LS Mikala

BB Kevin & LB Corbin

BB Ehren & LB Michael

1 Year

BS Shawna & LS Kacy
BS Alicia & LS Teagin
BB Kevin & LB Jayden
BS Allison & LS Alyssa
BS Anna & LS Kiya
BB Joel & LB Jonathan

BBBS Shirts

We have extra Bowl for Kids’ Sake t-shirts available for sale for $5.00 each. They are a great way to support our agency! We have adult sizes S-3XL. Please contact Ashley if you are interested in purchasing one.

Help BBBS by shopping at:

Amazon smile gives back to nonprofits at no extra cost to you! Same great deals as Amazon, but you’re helping your community!

Letter from the

Executive Director

I have some exciting news to report. Our new BBBS Website will launch at end of August.

Through the generosity of “The Insurance Center” we were able to fund the development of our new website. We have contracted Identity Works to develop the site. This new “user friendly” site will allow us to tell our BBBS story more effectively, share new and existing volunteer opportunities, and allow visitors to make financial contributions. In addition, we will be able to showcase our “matches”, and the huge impact our BIGS are making with their LITTLES in our communities every day.

As many of you are aware, we have over 200 children on our waiting list. We will be conducting a very special fund raising campaign that will coincide with the launch of our new site. Our GOAL….to raise $10,000 in 48 hours!! This effort will allow us to then match 10 more children. I invite you to watch for additional information regarding this campaign throughout the month of August.

As summer winds down, I once again extend a very sincere thank you to YOU, our dedicated supporters. As a staff team we celebrate YOU, and your participation in our program. Together, we have so very much potential to reach many more children, and in doing so, enhance the lives of the families in the communities we serve.

Best Regards,

Greg Voss

Executive Director

AUGUST REACH ACTIVITIES

Mid-West Family Broadcasting

Join us on August 5th at 4pm for a behind the scenes look at how the radio station works. This is a great chance for our college-aged Bigs to learn about possible career opportunities and for Littles to imagine the same.

When: Wednesday, August 5th at 4:00 P.M.

Where: Mid-West Family Broadcasting; 201 State Street, La Crosse, WI

Please contact Lyndsey if you are interested in attending.

Mathy Construction Testing Lab

Come along to learn more about the exciting world of construction and possibly destruction. Mathy Construction is one of the upper mid-west’s most recognizable construction companies. However, their projects need to stand up to the punishment of daily use and the elements. Come along

to learn how Mathy Construction pays attention to the LITTLE things that ensure the safety and durability of their BIG projects.

When: Tuesday, August 18th at 3:30 P.M.

Where: Mathy’s Construction – 920 10th Avenue North, Onalaska, WI

Please contact Justin if you are interested in attending.

Outdoor Adventures at Camp Wenonah

We are teaming up with Camp Wenonah for a fun and educational evening. We will start the evening by having a guided hike through the trails at Camp Wenonah. We will then be learning survival skills such as fire building. The evening will end with a camp fire and smores. You do not want to miss out on this adventure.

When: Thursday, August 27th from 5-7 p.m.

Where: Camp Wenonah- 31903 Camp Dr. Winona, MN 55987

Additional Information: Sandwiches and beverages will be provided. Make sure to wear shoes appropriate for hiking.

Please RSVP to Kristen by Wednesday, August 26th.

Hike at St. Joseph’s Ridge and Star Gazing

We are partnering with Mississippi Valley Conservancy (MVC) on September 19th (time TBD) for a Linked to the Land Hike. This hike is part of a year round hiking initiative put on by the MVC. Linked to the Land provides people in the community a chance to get active and experience first-hand the beauty of the Coulee Region. After the hike, a local astronomer will allow our matches to gaze at the starts through his telescopes. Don’t miss this exciting opportunity!

When: Saturday, September 19th at Time to be Determined

Where: TBD

If your match would like to attend, please contact

Justin.

BACK TO SCHOOL PICNIC!

Big Brothers Big Sisters annual Back to School Picnic is right around the corner! We will have food, fun and back to school supplies galore! We hope to see all our matches there!

Where: Black River Beach North Pavilion

When:
Thursday, August 27 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M.

If you are planning to attend please contact
Lyndsey.

SUPPORT BBBS!

Taste of Winona

Taste of Winona is Big Brothers Big Sisters of the 7 Rivers Region’s signature fundraiser in Winona. The event is a wonderful evening of food and wine samples, live music, along with a silent and live auction. We would love for you to attend and invite others for a great evening while supporting a great cause!

When:
Thursday, August 6th 5:00-8:00 P.M.

Where:
Visions Event Center at Signatures Restaurant, Winona, MN

Can’t make it? You can still support the event by making a donation or bidding on auction items online from your computer at
www.bidpal.net/tow.

Tickets are $30.00 each or two (2) for $50.00.

They can be purchased at Midtown Foods and Hy-Vee in Winona, or online.

Burrachos Meal Deal

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the 7 Rivers Region and Burrachos of Onalaska are teaming up to support our youth mentoring programs. Burrachos has generously offered to donate a percentage of their entire proceeds of sales to us. Fundraising opportunities are crucial for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the 7 Rivers Region, because the organization is funded by grants, donations, and fundraising opportunities like this one. The event is a great example how local businesses can partner with non-profits to give back to the community. We would love for you to attend and invite others for a great evening while supporting a great cause! Also, look for us from 4:00 – 5:00 P.M., because we will have a booth set up to talk more about how to get involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the 7 Rivers Region. Don’t forget to mention you are with BBBS or wear your BBBS apparel!

When: Thursday, August 13th 4:00-9:00 P.M.

Where: Burrachos – 9432 WI-16 Suite #100A, Onalaska, WI

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

Hmong New Year Celebration

The annual La Crosse Hmong New Year celebration is here! This is an amazing opportunity for our matches to learn more about Hmong traditions and Hmong history in the Coulee Region. Due to the popularity of this event the event planners are looking for volunteers for all three days.

On Friday, September 18th volunteers will be needed to help decorate the performance stage and erect fences around the perimeter of the field. Volunteer shifts start at 12:00 P.M. on the 18th, but you could come after work/school if need-be.

On the 19th and 20th volunteers will be needed to take tickets and help at the admission gate. Volunteer shifts start at 7 A.M. on these days, a standard shift is 4 hours.

Volunteering for one 4 hour shift will afford you free admission, but two four hour shifts will earn you free admission each day, free parking, and $10 per day for lunch.

The Volunteer Coordinator at the Hmong Cultural and Community Agency was very happy to have us provide this opportunity to our matches, so please consider volunteering some of your time for this great event.

If you are interested in volunteering please contact Justin.

AREA ACTIVITIES

Party in the Park – National Night Out

Join us for an evening of food old fashioned fun as we celebrate with our neighbors, friends, and family. Highlights of the evening include live music, neighborhood games, community art projects, special guests, and more!

When

Tuesday, August 5th 10:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M.

Where:

East Recreation Center – 210 Zumbro St. Winona, MN

Hear, Here Tour

Tour the beautiful city of La Crosse, WI, while getting to know it’s history. You and your Little will get to visit local places and relive the stories that happened in your community.

For more information, you can visit the Hear, Here Facebook page by clicking here.
You can also visit their website by clicking here.
If you would like a map of the Hear, Here tour, please e-mail Justin.

Family Fun Fair

End the summer with the Free Family Fun Fair at Chad Erickson Memorial Park on Sunday, August 23rd at 1-4 P.M. There will carnival games, contests, sailboat making, and a scavenger hunt!

CALLING ALL CHEESE-HEADS!

Big Brothers Big Sisters is excited to announce that we have preseason
Green Bay Packers tickets to give away! Two lucky matches will be drawn to go root on the
Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field

on Saturday, August 29th at 7:00 P.M. against the
Philadelphia Eagles!

Please check schedules of Big and Little before entering the drawing. Also, remember that those matches who win the tickets must provide transportation for them and their Little, there and back! (Parking passes are provided with tickets.)

The drawing will take place on Friday August 14th. To enter, you must e-mail or call (608-782-2227) Lyndsey by

3:59 P.M.

BIGS:
Due to the late start time of the game, if you plan on doing an overnight with your Little:

You must be matched for at least 1 year to have an overnight
You must contact your match specialist by Friday, August 21st.

MATCH SPOTLIGHT

Brandon spent his first three years involved in Big Brother Big Sisters matched with his Big Sister, Laura. They started out matched at his elementary school, where they met once a week during his lunch and recess. Brandon was in Kindergarten and loved being able to play outside and roughhouse with Laura, who enjoyed a lot of the same activities that Brandon did.

After almost two years, Laura’s schedule changed and the match was moved to a Community match, which continued to meet every week. Brandon was just starting 3rd grade and still very much enjoyed his time with Laura, but she noticed he was getting more into things that she was not interested. After receiving permission of BBBS staff, Laura introduced Brandon to her boyfriend, Lane, who knew all about the things Brandon had started to show interest in. Lane taught both Brandon and Laura to ice skate, as that was something neither of them had tried before. Lane was also there to encourage Brandon, alongside Laura, to get involved and follow his dreams.

Laura graduated from college this year and moved back to her hometown. Brandon was very sad about losing his friend, until BBBS staff got a phone call from Lane. He had put a lot of thought into it and had decided he wanted to get involved with BBBS. After completing the enrollment process, the Match Specialist determined that Lane would be an ideal match for Brandon.

Although the match is fairly new, Brandon and Lane had a bond going in to the match that is only getting stronger. When asked how he feels about the match, Brandon said he really likes spending time with Lane and loves being able to hang out with both him and Laura when Laura comes to town.