Bee-ing Together

Things got really interesting for Big Brother Chris and Little Brother Mark when Mark called Chris one night and said, “Chris, you know what would be cool? We should keep bees.”

Fast-forward a year or so and the two suited up to check on their hives, looking for honey, the illusive Queen, signs of mite infestation, and all the other things they learned about at KVCC’s one-day bee keeping class.
Keeping bees is just one of the many new things Mark and Chris have explored together. The two rattle off a giant list of “firsts:” a blacksmithing class, woodworking, helping raise salmon at the fish hatchery, unicycling (not a first for Chris)…

The pair has been matched since Mark was almost 11. Now almost 15, Mark and Chris have managed to fit a more diverse set of activities into their four years than some do in their lifetime.

But new activities aren’t the only way this pair connects. They also love superhero movies, going to lunch, and the conversation time that taking care of the bees together affords them.

Mark loves bugs, and points out things Chris hasn’t noticed on the way out to the hive. He wants to be a marine biologist someday and just has to decide if he’ll move to a coast for college to be near salt water.

In the meantime, the two plan on staying matched through Mark’s high school graduation. They know they’ll stay in touch long after that too. Mark plans on being a Big someday, and Chris wishes more people would get involved. Chris says he’s getting to relive all the best parts of his childhood, and encourages anyone thinking about becoming a Big to give it a try.