Program seeks male mentors

Ran Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Program seeks male mentors
Big Brothers needed to assist young boys

Keighla Schmidt
Leader-Telegram staff

Twenty-three percent of children in the United States live in a household without a father, according to 2006 U.S. Census figures.
With that in mind, Big Brothers Big Sisters has launched its first campaign directly targeting men to volunteer to take children under their wings and mentor them.
“There’s a growing lack of male role models,” said Emily Hopkins, marketing and event coordinator of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Wisconsin.
In the Chippewa Valley, there are 60 children in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program waiting for a mentor. Fifty-seven of them are boys.
Hopkins said that occasionally a boy will be paired with a Big Sister, but “most boys would prefer a Big Brother.”
Confidence is the reason there are fewer male mentors, Hopkins said.
“Men think they may not be good at it,” she said. “But it’s not about being a good role model; it’s about being a good friend.”
Former Big Brother and Clear Channel radio Sports Director Mike Sullivan said there are fewer men because of the stereotypical fear of commitment among men.
“Guys never wanna commit,” Sullivan said.
Sullivan said he supports the campaign because of the tremendous personal experience he has with the program.
Sullivan mentored a boy from age 11 to 18, and the pair formed a relationship where they learned from each other.
“If guys knew what they’d get out of it, they’d do it,” Sullivan said.
Five years ago Mike Brommer became a Big Brother to fulfill his service learning credits at UW-Eau Claire.
After meeting the requirement, Brommer continued to be a Big Brother and has watched his little brother transition from elementary school into high school.
“I get a chance to be a kid again,” Brommer said. The pair would play football, go for bike rides or even celebrate holidays together.
The need for mentors has attracted national attention. Oprah Winfrey and Essence magazine teamed up to showcase the need for male role models by asking for 1 million adults to volunteer to help a child in June.
In response, the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Wisconsin branch has announced it will launch its own campaign on local radio stations.
Sullivan said he hopes “every kid that needs a Big Brother gets one.”