"Bigs" of the Year!
We're
proud to recognize Grith Murphy and Ron Wilczynski as the Big
Brother and Big Sister of the Year of 2009. They were chosen by BBBS
staff for their outstanding volunteer service to
youth. 
Grith Murphy has been matched with her
Little Sister Marissa in the community-based mentor program for
three years. Grith says, “I met Marissa when she was only nine years
old, a fast talking, energetic little tom-boy! Now she is 13 and has
grown into a bright, beautiful teenager! It’s been one of the most
rewarding experiences of my life to be part of that transformation.
I am very grateful to Big Brothers Big Sisters for matching me with
Marissa.”
Grith, age 36, is a hairstylist at Fine
Arts Salon in Cameron Park. She and her husband Dana have lived in
Cameron Park for 10 years. 
Big Brother Ron Wilczynski has been a
mentor volunteer for three years in our School Mentor Program.
He is currently matched with a 6th grade student, but also served as
a mentor to another student for two years. When asked what his
mentoring experience has meant to him, he replied: “The chance to
make a difference in a child's life cannot be measured in words.”
Ron is retired from law enforcement and
lives with his wife Gail in Placerville. Gail just started
volunteering as a school mentor earlier this year.
Congratulations,
Ron and Grith, for being selected as “Big Brother and Big Sister of
the Year.”
Pie
in the Eye Thanks
 The Pie in the Eye basketball benefit on March
7th raised over $6,000 for youth mentoring programs. the basketball
game featured the annual challenge between the El Dorado Hills Fire
and El Dorado County Fire Districts. The tradition calls for the
winning team captain to throw a whipped cream pie in the face of the
losing team captain.
 
(Photo courtesy of El Dorado Fire)
The El Dorado Hills Fire Department squeaked out the win by
one point! Chief Bruce Latcher of EDC Fire graciously took the "pie
in the eye" from Chief Brian Veerkamp of EDH Fire. Thank you,
firefighters! Special thanks to the following: El Dorado High School
for the use of the gym, game announcer Peanut Harms, vocalist Kelsey
Forsberg, refs Jim Harrington and Mike Verbitsky, scorekeeper Mary
Jo Verbitsky and event chair Fred Russell.
Friday, May 1st, 5:30 to
8:00 pm, Folsom Lake Bowl
Come and enjoy a wonderful selection of
wine and delicious complimentary appetizers at the Wine Konnections
in El Dorado Hills to support May bowlathon efforts with AMDOCS,
Blue Shield of California, and DST Output. The profits from the
evening will be donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters. Click
here for more information.
 When is bowling NOT about bowling?
When it's the" Community Bowlathon" to benefit Big
Brothers Big Sisters! We're counting down the final days to the big
bowlathon and teams are scrambling to see who can raise the most
pledges before the "BIG" day. There are prizes for the individual
and the team that raise the most pledges for the cause. We have
teams from the following community-minded businesses and
organizations:
Best
Buy
California
Highway Patrol
Helm
Technical
Hodnett Insurance
Franklin Templeton
Lexis Nexis
Jim
Pratt
Wyndgate
If you missed this one, our
next Community Bowlathon is Saturday, October 17th. For more
information on bowlathons and how to get involved, click here.
Friday, May 15th, 5:30 to
8:00 pm, Folsom Lake Bowl
Saturday, May 17th, 10:00
am to 5:00 pm, Cameron Park
Friday, May 29th, 5:30 to
8:00 pm, Folsom Lake Bowl
School Partnership
Rolling Hills Middle School in El Dorado
Hills is honored to partner with the Big Brothers Big Sisters School
Mentor Program for the past 10 years. According to School Counselor
Monica Hopkins, “Our students that have mentors willingly invite
their Big Brother or Big Sister into their lives. The one-to-one
Mentors offer help to the students to improve their social
relationships, encourage academics and start thinking about their
future plans.”
There are currently 20+ active mentoring
relationships at the school. “The students are just ecstatic when
they know it’s the day their Big Brother or Big Sister is coming,”
adds Ms. Hopkins. “The School Mentor Program gives the students an
opportunity to have another adult in their life that listens and
cares. It’s someone who is a consistent friend and shows up every
week just to see them. The attention they seek is a necessity and
the attention they get is priceless."
Monica Hopkins is a School Counselor and
coordinates the mentor program, working in partnership with the Big
Brothers Big Sisters case manager Amber
Pratt.
Jack In The Box Foundation has been a
national partner of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America for 10
years. Support for our local Big Brothers Big Sisters agency has
included an employee giving campaign, a portion from the promotional
sales of Jack’s antennae heads and sponsorship of our Autumn Auction
community event coming up October 24, 2009. “Jack InThe Box is the
only national sponsor that has a presence in El Dorado County, so
we’re especially appreciative of their support,” says BBBS Executive
Director Deborah Jones. “Placerville restaurant manager Julie
Harrington has also been a huge supporter. Jack in the Box is making
a big impact in supporting youth in our program.”
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