The Big Impact Group (BIG) is hosting their first Male Mentorship Event at Oly Taproom in downtown Olympia on August 8, and you are invited. The event is an opportunity for BIG to showcase volunteering and partnership opportunities within Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Washington (BBBSSW), and especially for BIG to connect with young professionals in the community to show them how much their support is needed.
BIG formed in March 2019, with a goal to reach out to young professionals throughout the area and get them involved with BBBSSW. BIG supports the organization’s mission by creating partnerships, planning events, and especially recruiting young professional volunteers to be Big Brothers and Big Sisters to children in the community, aptly called Little Brothers and Little Sisters.
“Young professional men are already leaders within their workplaces, now is the time to use those skills and help your community,” says Peter McNamara, member of BIG, and the school and site-based program director for BBBSSW. Young professionals may not realize how simple it is to make an impact, and they may not yet see themselves as the mentoring type.
McNamara says that there may be some misconceptions when it comes to being a mentor. You don’t have to be settled to be a mentor. You don’t need to have a family or wait until you’re retired. In fact, as a young professional, you possess a unique characteristic that can help you relate to a Little: youth. “Many families looking for a mentor for their child want someone that’s younger, someone that can connect with their child, and be on their level,” he says.
And mentoring isn’t hard. The time commitment for a mentor is relatively small. Just two to four times a month for a few hours can make a major impact in the life of a boy who needs a mentor. And you can do things you already enjoy doing anyway. “Ball games, movies, hanging out at the park, whatever interests you, being a mentor is doing those kinds of things, you just take a Little Brother or Sister along to do them,” says McNamara. “The most important part is consistently showing up.”
For this first event, BIG is focusing their sights specifically on male mentorship. There is a huge need for male mentors. Little Brothers are waiting for mentors and some of them will wait years to find a match.
McNamara wants young professionals to know that if they aren’t ready to make the commitment to becoming a mentor just yet, there are other ways they can help. “You have connections, and you have great ideas,” he says. “Come down to Oly Taproom, join us for a beer and find out how you can get involved.”
Oly Taproom has generously decided that it will donate a dollar for every beer sold during the event to BBBSSW. “Oly Taproom is a great place for this event, their outdoor space is the perfect place for young professionals to come down on a nice summer evening, enjoy a beer, and find out how they can give back by empowering youth in the community,” says McNamara. “You will probably be out and about anyway, why not stop by?”
The first 20 that register for the event and show up will receive a free beer. So, mark your calendar for August 8 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and make your way down to Oly Taproom at 312 Columbia Street NW in Olympia for the Big Impact Group’s Male Mentorship Event in support of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Washington.
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