Matt is a volunteer with the Nutmeg Big Brother's/Big Sister's Program based out of Hartford, CT. For those of you who are not familiar with the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Program it is a program that pairs adults with at-risk children who are usually from single parent homes. The adults serve as mentors to the children who range in age from 6-16 years old. The adult mentors go to the child's house usually about once a week for a minimum commitment of one year. The mentor or "Big" picks the child or "Little" up and spends approximately 3-5 hours a week with the child doing all sorts of activities. These could be as simple as taking the little to the library to apply for a library card and taking out books to teaching the little how to wash a car or do laundry to going to a playground to going to an aquarium to going to an amusement park. Matt and Devin even made a few movies and a slide show! The premise of the BB/BS program is to actively engage the child in an activity with an adult who serves as a role model to the child.

Matt has been a "Big" for a little more than 3 years now and I am paired up with a 10 year old boy named Devin. Matt would really love to get into specifics about him and his home life but, he can't. Devin is a really great kid but, a very needy one. He is eager to do all sorts of fun activities and needs a great deal of attention. The pair have been spending about 5 hours a week together doing all sorts of activities. They've gone "bumper bowling." Bumper bowling is bowling with out the gutter's (quite fun for kids and poor bowler's like Matt since you usually hit a pin on every try because it can't go in the gutter). It was interesting and Devin of course beat Matt. Bowling is one of Devin's favorite activities and lucky for Matt, our local BB/BS chapter sponsors a Bowl for Kids Sake Funday event annually.

Matt and Devin have also gone to the Beardsley Zoological Gardens in Bridgeport, CT and learned about a whole bunch of animals including the llama, monkeys, and tigers. To give you idea of what Devin's all about here is a picture of him chasing a peacock around the zoo. That's what I deal with for four hours a week. Matt loves it! Yes, Devin keeps Matt busy and is so full of energy, but Devin is so much fun to spend time with, watch, and learn!

The duo have done various other activities together including watching the New Britain Rock Cats (a minor league baseball team), celebrating a birthday together, renting movies at Blockbuster, playing in the park, and visiting the Mystic Aquarium. Matt looks forward to the time the pair spend together. It really helps you put life and things in perspective and it is truly rewarding.

Probably the most rewarding experiences of Matt's time with Devin involves his little stuffed animal. As you can see in the zoo photo Devin is carrying a little stuffed gorilla, named Abu. It was Devin's security blanket, if you will. He carried that monkey everywhere for the first several months. It was embarrassing at times because most of the time Matt end up carry it! He would talk to it and bring it everywhere. He wouldn't even let me put it in the car while we were off doing something. Abu and Devin were inseparable. Matt realized about 3 months into the match that Devin didn't bring Abu on any more of our adventures. Matt asked him one day, "How come Abu doesn't hang out with us any more?" and Devin replied, "Who needs Abu as a friend when I have you to talk to and play with!" Matt was very touched! So Abu doesn't come with them any more. Matt thinks Devin has gotten over his initial fear of Matt and is now extremely attached.

Another rewarding experience, was when Devin made Matt a card at school. All Devin's classmates where making Father's Day cards for their dads. Since Devin's father is deceased, he decided that a Father's Day card would not be appropriate. Despite his teachers urging to not change the task (Devin loves to do that), Devin made a "Happy Brother's Day" card with a poem about growth and planting seeds. Devin also gave Matt a little maple tree that the pair planted in Matt's yard. Matt really felt loved! The poem really hit home and spoke to their experiences as they have grown together a great deal. Devin is truly the best little kid that Matt has ever worked with. The love that these kids can give is remarkable!

Matt's experiences with Devin remind him a great deal of one of Matt's favorite cartoon character's Calvin by Bill Watterson. Devin is so full of energy and wants to do everything all at once. Dev also has a very active imagination and can use just about anything and pretend it is something else just as Calvin goes on his space rides and changes into...Spaceman Spiff! For instance, Devin often takes the "Club" (you know that thing for the steering wheel) and uses it as a bazooka and other objects are they are driving all over Connecticut. Where do they go, take our little quiz...Where in Connecticut are Matt and Devin?

Matt strongly encourage you to get involved in community service and volunteer activities in your own community. Kids like Devin are everywhere and looking for someone to invest in their livelihood and future. You can make a difference in the life of a child just by paying attention to him or her! You can invest in our nation's and the world's future. Not only does the experience benefit the child, but the benefits and love you receive in return are priceless!

If you would like to learn more about the Big Brothers/Big Sisters (BBSA) of America National Organization or the other 500+ BBSA chapters then visit their website at http://www.bbbsa.org or write to them at:

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
230 North 13th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107