Big Brothers Big Sisters of Manitowoc County

Little Moments equal Big Magic for both "Bigs" & "Littles".

Match of the Month Stories

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Each month the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization selects a "match" for special recognition. The award is given in honor for the commitment that the volunteer and child have made to each other and the organization in creating a special friendship.

August 2008 Match of the Month

Jane Marotz is more than a Big Sister to 14-year-old Pang Thao. "She calls me her mom," Marotz said. Jane has been paired with her Little Sister since May 2006. "Actually, we've known each other three years," Marotz said. She was an English language tutor at Franklin Elementary School, and Pang was one of the students she helped. "She and I kind of clicked right away," Marotz said.

Marotz had thought about being a Big Sister, but she has great-grandchildren in the area and she thought she also could spend more time with them. "Then when I found out she needed somebody I decided to do it," she said.

Working with children was nothing new for Marotz, who had been involved with Scouting organizations when her own children were growing up and had volunteered at Head Start and Riverview School before coming to Franklin. The timing was good, too. Her husband had died a couple of years earlier, and Marotz was lonely.

So was Pang. She had left her mother and come from Thailand to the United States to live with an older brother and his family when she was 9 years old. She has another brother and two sisters in the United States as well as a brother and sister in Asia. "We both need each other," Marotz said. She doesn't think there's anything harder than losing a spouse, but when she thinks about a young child leaving her mother, "I can't imagine that," she said. Pang said she hasn't seen her mom since she left, but they are able to talk on the phone.

Pang, who will be an eighth-grader at Washington Junior High School, said she wanted a Big Sister because it would be a way to get out of the house and do something fun. "Usually I just stay home and babysit," she said. Her brother and his wife have seven children.

The Big Sister and Little Sister have done various activities together, such as going to the Rahr-West Art Museum and riding the Badger carferry across Lake Michigan, but most often they spend time at Marotz's house. "We just enjoy each other's company," Martoz said. "We just like being together." They play checkers and Chinese checkers, they read to each other, and Pang likes to help water her Big Sister's flowers. Sometimes Marotz takes her to the store and buys her clothes, she said. "She's very nice to me," Pang said. They also have done some of the group activities planned for all Big Brothers Big Sisters matches. "Next month we're going horseback riding," Marotz said. It will be Pang's first time riding a horse, and she said she is both nervous and excited.

She also was nervous about going to Camp TaPaWingo this summer, but Marotz convinced her to give it a try by agreeing to spend the first night there with her. Pang said she was shy because she struggles with her English language skills. "I was the only Hmong girl over there," she said. But, as her Big Sister predicted, she ended up having a great time, and she made new friends. "It was awesome," she said.

Marotz said she loves being a Big Sister to Pang. "She's such a sweetheart," she said. "I miss her when I don't see her for awhile." Marotz said she has tried to encourage her friends to become mentors through Big Brothers Big Sisters, but so far none have. "I keep trying," she said. She finds it rewarding to help someone else be happy, and that in turn helps her to be happy. "It fills a big void in my life," she said.

Article by Cindy Hodgson, Herald Time Reporter Staff

July 2008 Match of the Month

Rhea Deroche-Pirch and 14-year-old Carrie celebrated their two-year anniversary as "sisters" in March. They have been named July 2008 Match of the Month. Deroche-Pirch first decided she wanted to be a Big Sister when she started minoring in nonprofit management at Lakeland College. After researching Big Brothers Big Sisters for school, she decided to become a special volunteer, filling in for children who weren't matched yet. When she later told Match Specialist Leah Bonde-Langenfeld she wanted a Little Sister, she was matched with Carrie just three months later.

"They clicked from the very beginning," Bonde-Langenfeld said. "They meet every single week since the beginning and they mesh really well. They have so much fun together by doing a lot of different activities and Carrie has grown a lot throughout their friendship."

While four hours a month is the requirement for time spent together, Deroche-Pirch and Carrie say they usually spend about four hours together a week. The sisters favorite activities together include bowling, going to movies and musicals, doing crafts like making T-shirts, and an annual shopping trip to different cities after Carrie's birthday. Carrie said she and Deroche-Pirch were compatible matches because they share many common interests. "We could be long-lost sisters," she said. "Except for the age difference."

Carrie has been more confident in herself, and has been more open to other people since becoming a Little Sister, Deroche-Pirch said. She said her main goal is to show her different ways to have fun, and what the world has to offer.

"It's added to (my life) a lot," Deroche-Pirch said. "It's very rewarding to be able to see the way she's grown and the friendship we've made with each other. We're like best friends and she's grown ... not just in age but in maturity, too." Deroche-Pirch said the program provides opportunities to children to get them involved in other activities, which could keep them active and even out of trouble.

"It's just about combining people," Carrie added. "To give them friends, give younger kids a role model and give adults someone they can redeem their childhood with." Carrie is thinking about following in Deroche-Pirch's footsteps and eventually attending Lakeland College and becoming a Big Sister one day. They plan to stay friends long after her graduation. "I plan on being her big sister for as many years as she wants me," Deroche-Pirch said.

Article by Jerica Harvey, Lakeshore Chronicle Staff Writer

June 2008 Match of the Month

Big Sister Lauren Tellock and her Little Sister Sharee were selected as the Match of the Month for the Month of June 2008. Lauren and Sharee have been matched for two years after Lauren joined the BBBS program as a mentor. Ms. Tellock began working with Big Brothers Big Sisters as a volunteer at the agency golf outing and decided she wanted to one day become a Big Sister.

Sharee and Tellock spend time together going swimming, playing at the park, going out to eat, baking cookies and playing Nintendo Wii. They even saw two ice shows, the Lion King and Mary Poppins. The ice shows have been Sharee’s favorite activity, Sharee said. Tellock said she has help from her family to pay for some of the activities, sometimes they get offered free tickets from Big Brothers Big Sisters or local businesses will donate buy one, get one free coupons. While Sharee has enjoyed the activities the pair has done, she also enjoys spending time with Lauren because Lauren is nice and caring, she said. “I just like her because she is like a friend to me.”

“I’ve enjoyed watching Sharee from being this little girl and to see how her confidence has improved and how much more outgoing and willing she is to try things,” Tellock said. “I’m really proud of how she is growing up.”

Tellock, a 2008 graduate of Mishicot High School, will be a freshman majoring in business at the University of Wisconsin, Madison in the fall. When she begins college, Sharee will get a new Big Sister. In the meantime, the pair will continue to meet once a week and said they would stay in touch after Tellock leaves. Sharee will begin sixth grade at LB-Clark Middle School in the fall.

For Tellock, watching Sharee lose her shyness has been one of her favorite parts of the program. She has the most fun doing the one-on-one personal activities. “When we are hanging out, and we are baking cookies or playing Wii, we really get to goof around and learn more about one another and our personalities. That is the most fun...we can talk.” Tellock said. Article by Sarah Millard: Lakeshore Chronicle Staff.

May 2008 Match of the Month

Big Brother Tom Brull and his Little Brother Jack were selected as the Match of the Month for May 2008. Tom and Jack have been matched in the school-based mentoring program at Jefferson Elementary School for the past two years. Throughout their time together, the pair has seen improvement in many of Jack’s skills, particularly his basketball and math abilities. “It is a very fun program,” Jack said. “I think this is the best year for me. I really have improved much better.”

Tom & Jack spend the first 30 minutes of their time together working on Jack’s homework. He will sometimes bring the math problems he hasn’t finished during the school day and always brings his problem solving math. “I used to have difficulties in the beginning of the year, but now I am much better at math,” Jack said. “It is really easy now. I do occasionally make mistakes, but I always figure out where I made my mistakes.” While Brull helps Jack with his homework, he does not give Jack the answers to the problems. “He helps me figure out my mistakes,” Jack said. “He just doesn’t tell me the right answer; he helps me figure it out.” “Jack is a joy to be around,” Tom said, “because he appreciates you.” “That is the thing I can see that makes my time worthwhile. I come here, and I see that smile. He is willing to do whatever I ask him to do.”

The final half hour of their time together is spent with recreational activities such as basketball, Frisbee, or on the computers in the library.

Tom is director of materials management at Holy Family Memorial. He has been involved in the program for 4 years and hopes to work with Jack again during the next school year. Holy Family Memorial has been a supportive partner with the BBBS School-Based Mentoring program for the past 6 years. Article by Sarah Millard: Lakeshore Chronicle Staff.

April 2008 Match of the Month

Nine-year-old Tyra Brachmann has four sisters at home, one older and three younger, and for about the past year and a half she's had a Big Sister at school. Tyra, a third-grader at Madison Elementary School, has been matched with Marilynn Dunlap since November 2006.

They meet weekly in the school-based Lunch Buddy program at Madison during Tyra's lunch period. Marilynn decided she wanted to volunteer at Madison. "I had children at Madison at that time," she said. Dunlap has a son who is in seventh grade and a daughter in ninth grade. "I really wanted to help Madison School," she said. "I do other volunteer things here for the school."

When Madison implemented its Lunch Buddy program, Principal Christopher Peterson, who knew Dunlap from her other volunteer work at the school, asked her to participate. "This adds a whole different element to volunteering because I think it adds the personal," Dunlap said. "I'm kind of a relational person."

Dunlap visits the school from 11:10 a.m. to noon one day a week. Tyra takes her lunch and they meet in a small room. "We read a book or play a game," Tyra said. "Every single week we play a game," said Dunlap, who brings the games from home. They usually try to read together. Tyra said they also talk, such as discussing what's happening in her life. As a Big Sister, Dunlap also can serve as a sounding board. She recalled that Tyra had been having a bad day when she was there once, and by talking about it "she was able to just process that a little bit."

Tyra said she wanted to have a Big Sister "because they said it would be really fun." It is fun, she confirmed, explaining she likes to be with her Big Sister and play games. "I really enjoy getting to have the one-on-one time with Tyra," Dunlap said.

She and Tyra have bonded, she said, and if the girl moves to another school she probably will follow rather than being paired with another Madison student. In fact, she intends to continue as Tyra's Big Sister until Tyra is too old for the program. Dunlap said she finds it "extremely rewarding," and she believes it's an enriching experience for Tyra. "I think it's a happy part of her school life," she said. Article by Cindy Hodgson: Lakeshore Chronicle

March 2008 Match of the Month

Evan Braun, a junior at Valders High School, walks over to the adjacent Valders Elementary School during his lunch period on Mondays to hang out with fourth-grader Austin Franke. They are part of the school-based mentoring program. Braun, 17, has been matched with Austin, who will be 10 in April, since December 2006. "I just wanted to help out, I guess," Braun said. "Be a positive influence in someone's life." "We read 10 minutes every week," Braun said. That's a requirement of the program, but it's also Austin's favorite activity to do with his Big Brother. They take turns reading to each other. When they're done reading, they might play board games like Memory or Trouble or go to the computer lab to surf the Web or play computer games.

Sometimes there's an activity for all of the participants to do. Braun said it's usually a craft project and often centers on a holiday. At their latest session they colored pictures for the Manitowoc County Human Services Department to display at various locations during Child Abuse Prevention Month, observed in April.

Austin, who has an older sister but no brothers, said he wanted a Big Brother because he thought it would make school more fun. He said he likes having someone to spend time with, and now that he has been in the program he thinks it is indeed fun. He and Braun said they hit it off right away.

Braun, who has a 12-year-old sister, said he thinks the program "helps a lot of kids." He thinks it's beneficial for them to have someone they can talk with. Evan said he would recommend it to other people. "It's fun," he said. "You get to come down and play games. It's kind of a break from the regular day.” Article by Cindy Hodgson: Lakeshore Chronicle

February 2008 Match of the Month

Barbara Herrmann sees being a Big Sister to 12-year-old Chelsie as "an opportunity to be with young people in a positive atmosphere." Herrmann said she usually interacts with young women who already have made choices that have made their lives more difficult. She works with pregnant teens through her job at the Manitowoc County Health Department. "To do something proactive rather than reactive is nice," she said. The Big Sister and Little Sister were matched on Oct. 24, 2006, and now Big Brothers Big Sisters has named them the Match of the Month for February 2008. They participate in the school-based Lunch Buddy program at Monroe Elementary School, where Chelsie is a sixth-grader. Herrmann comes to the school at noon once a week and spends 45 minutes with Chelsie in the library. Usually, Herrmann brings a lunch and Chelsie eats the hot lunch provided at the school. After they eat, "we just pretty much talk, and sometimes she brings games," Chelsie said. Conversation topics include books and school, and "we both like art," she said. They play games with another BBBS match also meeting in the library at lunch.

Chelsie was asked why she wanted a Big Sister. "Something to do besides eating and playing outside, I guess," she said, explaining that following the same routine every day gets boring. Having a Big Sister is "really, really fun," she said.

The school-based program is the right fit for Herrmann. "I don't have the flexibility in my schedule to do the full (community-based) Big Brothers Big Sisters," she said. Herrmann's own children are grown, and she said she finds joy in spending time with her Little Sister. Watching her mature has been interesting, she said. "I'd strongly encourage anyone to see if they could spare an hour out of their schedule once a week," Herrmann said, so children don't have to spend years on a waiting list.

Article by Cindy Hodgson: Lakeshore Chronicle

January 2008 Match of the Month

As head custodian at Monroe Elementary School, Greg Rank sees children all day, but he decided that wasn't enough. Rank became a Big Brother through Big Brothers Big Sisters and meets with 10-year-old Jacob after school one day each week. "It's more of a one-on-one," Rank said about his relationship with Jacob. "This is very special to me." The Big and Little have been matched since the fall of 2006 in the school-based program and have been named the Match of the Month for January. "I had thought about it for a long, long time," Rank said. He finally decided, "I have more than enough time to do this." Rank, who has two grown sons but no grandchildren yet, goes from Monroe to Jefferson Elementary at the end of his workday every Tuesday during the school year to spend an hour with Jacob. They spend a half-hour doing homework if Jacob has any, otherwise they talk and read. Then they hit the gym for some basketball with other Bigs and Littles matched through the school-based program at Jefferson.

"It's helpful practicing," said Jacob, who is on a recreation department basketball team. Jacob, who has a 7-year-old sister and 17-year-old brother, said he wanted a Big Brother because he thought it would help him get his homework done and the physical activity in the gym would be healthy. He learned about the program and shared the information with his mom, who decided it would be good for him, he said.

Homework occasionally means science or social studies, sometimes it's reading, and "sometimes it's math, which me and him really don't like doing," Jacob said, referring to Rank. Jacob said he gets his homework finished "a little bit faster" with the help of his Big Brother, and he usually gets the answers right when Rank helps him.

When Rank was asked whether he has seen any changes in his Little Brother during the time they've been together, Jacob immediately jumped in to answer. "I haven't been getting detentions at all anymore," he said. Rank said the boy doesn't have such a short fuse with his classmates these days, which is why he hasn't found himself in detention.

The two hit it off right away, they said. They enjoy playing basketball, talking about fishing and joking around. Jacob said he likes that they have interests in common, and he likes talking with his Big Brother. "I like that (the program) helps you with your homework, and its fun to have a Big Brother," he said. "Helping out makes me feel good," Rank said. Article by Cindy Hodgson: Lakeshore Chronicle

December 2007 Match of the Month

Big Sister Amanda Berg, 17, isn't just making a difference in her Little Sister's life, she's teaching the 12-year-old to make a difference in other people's lives. When Berg spends time with Little Sister Courtney, the Madison Elementary School sixth-grader, they do more than just have fun together. They volunteer together. "I wanted her to see that volunteering can be fun," said Berg, a senior at Lincoln High School. "If she learns that at a younger age, that's good."

Berg apparently has learned about the value of volunteering at a young age herself. Already her community involvement has included being a Sunday school teacher and confirmation guide at First Lutheran Church, serving as camp counselor at Camp TaPaWingo, and doing community service projects with National Honor Society. "I think it's very fulfilling to give of your time," she said, explaining that she likes doing things that benefit others. "I find that fulfilling and very worthwhile."

The Big and Little recently spent time sorting donations and wrapping Christmas presents at the Domestic Violence Center. They also helped serve a Christmas dinner put on by the Lakeshore Community Action Program, and last year they made valentines and distributed them to residents at the Manitowoc Health Care Center, where Courtney's grandma lives. "We're adopting a resident at North Ridge," Berg said. They will visit that resident on an ongoing basis to talk or play games. Berg said they learned about that and other volunteer opportunities through the RSVP Volunteer Center.

"It's fun," Courtney said when asked how she feels about doing volunteer work with her Big Sister. The two also find time just to hang out and have fun. They've gone ice skating, sledding, horseback riding and bike riding. They have had picnics, taken walks, carved pumpkins and attended sporting events, and they have spent time at Berg's house working on art projects and baking.

Courtney said her favorite activity was sledding at Silver Creek Park, while Amanda mentioned painting piggy banks, ice skating and bike riding. The first time they got together, they went to Beerntsen's Confectionary. "For our one-year anniversary, we went there again," Berg said. They also spend time talking. "We share highs and lows of the week," Berg said.

Sometimes it feels like they're just two friends hanging out, according to Berg. However, she also said her relationship with Courtney helps her to "see through the eyes of a child." Berg said she has a 13-year-old brother but she "always wanted a little sister." For her part, Courtney wanted a Big Sister "'cause I wanted someone to hang out with." She said she thinks her Big Sister is fun and pretty.

Berg wants to work with children and plans to pursue a career in education or speech pathology. She said she has learned more about children "and what makes them tick" through her experience with Courtney. "I think I've learned to be a more responsible person, and I've become a better role model," she said. She has become more aware of the effects her words and actions have on someone else. "I see how she looks up to me," she said. Big Brothers Big Sisters gives Berg an "opportunity to have a very positive impact on someone else's life," she said.

Article by Cindy Hodgson of the Lakeshore Chronicle.

November 2007 Match of the Month

Every Tuesday afternoon, Matt Kinsella leaves his job as an operations analyst with Holy Family Memorial and goes to Jefferson Elementary School to spend time with 10-year-old Taylor. Kinsella is Taylor’s Big Brother in the school-based mentoring program. Holy Family Memorial allows its employees to participate during work hours, and Matt said that’s a nice benefit. “Much funner than work,” said Taylor, a fifth-grader. “That’s a good point, too,” Matt responded. It’s the first time Matt, 28, has had a Little Brother. He moved here from a larger city two and a half years ago, and he said there’s more emphasis on Big Brothers Big Sisters here. “I’m really impressed by the program,” he said.

Matt and Taylor get together for an hour after school on Tuesdays, starting out in the Jefferson library. They spend the first half-hour doing schoolwork — usually math, according to Taylor. Then it’s time to hit the gym for some basketball. Two other pairs matched through BBBS meet at the same time, and the six of them usually play three-on-three hoops — kids against adults.

As a school-based match, Matt and Taylor aren’t allowed to meet outside of school. They could ask to expand to a community-based match if they wanted to, but they have no immediate plans for that. Matt said he’s happy with the school-based mentoring. “I like being able to do the homework,” he said. Taylor said it helps to have someone assist him with homework. The teacher he had last year indicated the boy’s schoolwork had gotten better, Matt said.

Asked what he finds rewarding about his role as a mentor, Matt mentioned the teacher’s gratitude. In addition, “I just like to see (Taylor) improve,” said. He likes when Taylor understands something they worked on the previous week. “You can kind of see him using the tools that you’ve given him. That’s a reward enough for me,” he said. Article by Cindy Hodgson of the Lakeshore Chronicle.

October 2007 Match of the Month

When Kayla's mom told her she was getting a Big Sister through Big Brothers Big Sisters, she thought if she were matched with the right person they could play sports together. Kayla, now 11, was matched with Bohman in February 2005, and the two were comfortable with each other from the beginning. "We just kind of blended so well," Bohman said. As Kayla had hoped, she was matched with a Big Sister who likes sports. Shelby said she coached recreation department baseball for eight years and also played volleyball in a recreation department league. Shelby and Kayla play volleyball and basketball, and Kayla practices her baseball pitching skills. They also play croquet, miniature golf and go biking. Kayla, a sixth-grader, said riding their bicycles from Two Rivers to Manitowoc on Mariners Trail has been her favorite activity with her Big Sister.

Their interests go beyond sports, though. Kayla attends church with her Big Sister and helps with activities there. "She even did the annual CROP Walk to fight hunger this year. It was Kayla's first experience walking for a cause. Kayla said she is looking forward to being old enough to accompany her Big Sister on one of the Appalachian Service Project trips Bohman chaperones. The trips are through the church and are for high school students.

They're also looking forward to going to Wisconsin Dells together. While they haven't taken any overnight trips yet, their out-of-town excursions have included Bay Beach Amusement Park and the N.E.W. Zoo in Green Bay. Their time together always involves going out to eat. "If we don't go out for supper, we go for ice cream," Shelby said.

They also spend time at Bohman's home, which is just a few blocks from where Kayla lives. They do homework, bake cookies, play games and work on crafts. Sometimes when Shelby is babysitting, Kayla comes over and helps with the children. Kayla said she likes that she can talk with her Big Sister. "If I'm having something wrong, I can talk to her about it and she can help me along the way," she said. Shelby said she enjoys spending time with Kayla. "It's neat to see how she's changed and grown," she said. "She listens very well and she's willing to learn stuff."

Asked whether she would recommend the Big Brothers Big Sisters program to others, Bohman said she definitely would. "I think it's a neat experience," she said. She has her daughter to thank for that. "My daughter talked me into it," she said. "She said I would be the perfect person for doing this." By Cindy Hodgson, Herald Times Reporter Staff Writer.

September 2007 Match of the Month

Big Brother Dan Kleiber, 48, doesn't have a son, and 10-year-old Little Brother Matthew doesn't have a dad in his life, but for more than a year and a half, they've had each other. They go fishing, hunting and camping together and enjoy many other activities that dads often do with their boys, but the two aren't related. Dan and Matthew became friends when Big Brothers Big Sisters matched them in January 2006. "I never had a chance to raise any kids of my own, and I was born and raised in a family of 10," said Kleiber, who lives south of Manitowoc in a log home he built himself. He had thought about becoming a Big Brother "for a number of years" before he finally took the leap, and he said he's glad he did. "Matthew and me are good buddies, right?" he said, looking at his Little Brother. "I think we're going to be lifelong friends." Kleiber said he thinks he and Matthew are a good match. "We just click," he said.

Matthew said he wanted a Big Brother "'cause I don't have a dad, and I don't do a lot of sports and stuff like that 'cause my mom doesn't like to do that stuff." The fifth-grader at Franklin Elementary School lives with his mom and 8-year-old brother. Matthew said he agrees he and his Big Brother are a good match. "He's fun, and I'm never bored over here, and he takes me to a lot of things," he said.

Most of what they do together is outdoors. Matthew, who had been fishing a couple of times with his uncle when he was little, caught his first fish with Kleiber. They have fished on Lake Michigan, on area inland lakes, and up north where Kleiber's brother has a cabin. Matthew can't hunt until he's 12 years old, but he has watched while his Big Brother hunted deer, rabbits and pheasants. Kleiber taught him how to shoot a bow and arrow, and the boy practices his archery skills and shoots his BB gun on Kleiber's property.

Kleiber also taught his Little Brother how to swim, and they swim in a pond on his property, as well as up north and at the Manitowoc-Two Rivers YMCA. They also shoot baskets and do other activities at the Y. The two get together every week. In the winter, it might be just for a couple of hours, perhaps going to the YMCA and out to eat, although there's also ice skating, ice fishing and sledding to be done in the winter.

Besides visiting the cabin up north, they have camped together at Point Beach State Forest. "We went to Mackinac Island this summer," Kleiber said. They camped on the way out and back and while they were there, and during the four-day, three-night trip, they were able to swim under a waterfall and sit behind it. According to Kleiber, Matthew said that was the best day of his life.

Kleiber also took his Little Brother to a preseason Packer game a few weeks ago. "That was his first Packer game," he said. "It was fun," Matthew said. Asked whether he is a big Packer fan, the boy said, "Now I am."

Something else Matthew hasn't done is ride the Badger carferry. Kleiber said they have tickets and will use them yet this fall. Matthew said having a Big Brother is fun, and he likes that he gets "to do a lot of stuff." By Cindy Hodgson, Herald Times Reporter Staff Writer.

Go to the How to Volunteer page if you are interested in putting some "magic" into the lives of kids like these, or call us at (920) 684-7445.
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