Local mentoring program shaken up

Sisters area mentors in the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Oregon (BBBSCO) program got a shock last week when an e-mail arrived from their enrollment and match support specialist, Robyn Komar.

Komar worked out of the Redmond office of BBBSCO, and she'd just received word that her office was closing and she was out of a job. The Sisters program was administered from Redmond, which meant that the mentors and their charges (known as Bigs and Littles) in this area were potentially left hanging without support.

After the dust settled, the head office of BBBSCO decided that some of the Redmond and Sisters matches would be carried by the Madras staff. Program Director Mark Wilke, based in Bend, said, "At least three Sisters matches are now being supported from Madras. We're taking it on a case by case basis, so we don't overwhelm them there."

The closure of the Redmond program was a sign of the times, said Komar. A difficult fundraising climate meant the program wasn't meeting its budget projections.

"BBBSCO's Deschutes County budget and our parent company, J Bar J Youth Services, is no longer able to carry the load," Komar said in her e-mail.

Matches, a pairing of an adult mentor and a child between the ages of 6 and 15, are often self-supporting after a period of time. It's the new matches needing support that get priority, said Wilke.

Lynne Myers is a Big to three Sisters youngsters. She said the changes wouldn't affect her relationships with the kids, but she contacted the Madras office anyway just to get on their record. She's been a part of the program for several years, long enough to know what is expected of a Big and to see the impact on her Littles.

The mission of BBBS is to empower youth to achieve their highest potential through meaningful one-to-one relationships with caring mentors. The relationships can last from several months to several years, bringing joy, relief and a sense of purpose to both Bigs and Littles.

Program Director Wilke emphasized that Sisters area residents who wish to be involved in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program can call the main office in Bend at 312-6047 to begin the process.

For more information, go to the BBBSCO Web site at http://www.bbbsco.org.