Big Brother helps Little turn his life around
Ryan DeNooyer’s face lights up with pride when he talks about his Little Brother Shaquille. He is very proud of the progress his Little Brother has made in the three...
Teen volunteers despite brain injury.
16 year old named Barry County Outstanding Mentor of the Year It is easy to assume that a teenager who survived a serious accident would scale back all activities to...
Big’s influence still felt decades later
‘I can’t imagine where I’d be today without him’ In late 2000, now-retired Pfizer employee Bob Short was reviewing resumes when he came across a familiar name. The name matched...
Every place I went with her, I’d never been there before.
Former mentor’s influence compels current Big Sister to give back. As a young girl, Alexia Jones didn’t have the opportunity to experience life outside of her neighborhood and, unfortunately, the...
‘My favorite thing about being a Little Brother was having another person that I could talk to.’
Big Brother’s ‘mission’ to guide once shy child When Nelson Ramos became a Little Brother at age 11, he was shy and uncomfortable when meeting new people. It would take...
Bigs Share knowledge, male point of view with Little
A chance encounter at a laundromat in 2002 convinced Rich Mersereau that he needed to become a Big Brother. He remembers seeing a young boy repeatedly interrupting his mother as...
Little reaps consistency, silliness from match
Little Brother Wesley sits at the computer in his second-grade classroom taking a reading test. Every so often he glances across the room. Wesley is looking at his Big Brother...
A Big commitment; couple becomes mentors just before wedding, each with their own little
A Big commitment Couple becomes mentors just before wedding, each with their own Little Back in 2007 when Tiffany Overbeek and Bob Gazi were engaged, they discussed ways they might...
It’s been an honor to watch her grow up.’
One-year commitment turns into lifelong friendship As a Western Michigan University student, Corilee Kessler heard about Big Brothers Big Sisters’ mentoring and thought to herself, “I can do that for...
Getting fit, together
Getting fit, together These Bigs and Littles put physical fitness into their matches Who: Big Sister Shannon Kelly and Little Sister Calise (above) Goal: Finish the 2.2-mile Tutu Run; make...
‘She helps me feel calm’
Marshall High School Bigs program boosts Littles’ emotional growth Sometimes all a child needs to stay engaged in school is having one thing to look forward to. For some Marshall students...
‘She teaches me as much as I teach her’
Big Sister, Little Sister enjoy being ‘goofy,’ setting goals Little Sister Rebecca and Big Sister Sharon Zinser share a sense of adventure and an appreciation for being “goofy.” And when...