Group celebrates 30 years

Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Central Indiana is celebrating 30 years of helping youth around the region this year, which was marked by a celebration Wednesday.\n"It's being a mentor, being a guide, being someone that can always be available for counsel," said local realtor Tim Ellis. "It's extending your hand in a way (that is) helping someone younger, someone who maybe struggles along with the many trials and tribulations of life. That's what the organization is all about."\nIn September 1973, Ellis donated the group's original office space, and continues to support it today. He hosted a celebration Wednesday at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater commemorating the organization's anniversary.\nThe event featured testimonies from Big Brothers Big Sisters members, an episode of "The Andy Griffith Show," videos providing information on the organization and a musical performance by Little Brother Caleb Washburn on the drums.\nThree years ago Washburn was matched with his Big Brother Chris Smith. The two bonded instantly and have been close ever since.\n"I wouldn't have anybody else in the world," Washburn said of Smith. "He's always been there, anything I've ever had to ask him, he's always been there for me."\nWashburn, a 14-year-old eighth-grader, credits Smith with helping him to explore his musical talents. \n"He got me my first musical instrument, a guitar. He got me my first drum lessons, he got me my first cymbals," Washburn said. "He's given me so much. He's always taught me to give 110 percent, just to always do my best and that's what counts, that I feel good about what I'm doing."\nThe two have taken trips to Tennessee twice and West Virginia once and have participated in other activities such as whitewater rafting and camping. Smith recently served as offensive coordinator for Washburn's football team, even though he admits he doesn't know much about the sport.\nSmith was active in the program as a child and came back about three years ago as a volunteer.\n"My parents divorced when I was young and I ended up in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program in Ellettsville back in the early '80's," Smith said. "When I was in college, I did some volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters, but not a lot. Then Liz Grenat (executive director of BBBS) started ribbing me and finally in 2000 I said, 'I'm in.' I was matched in about a week. That was three years and many inches ago."\nBBBS of South Central Indiana has seen a great increase in service in recent years, and last year received an award as one of the top 25 BBBS programs nationwide in service growth.\nGrenat said the chapter is now the third-largest BBBS organization in the state, following Indianapolis and Fort Wayne.\nGrenat and Tom Hargis, developmental director for BBBS of South Central Indiana, credit much of the success and increased service to the variety of programs the organization offers.\n"We don't just have one or two programs, but a variety of different programs available for people to volunteer," Hargis said. "(We've) reached out in a variety of different capacities to reach kids in Monroe and Owen counties."\nHargis said the organization is launching several new collaborative programs this fall. Among those are High School Bigs, a program matching high school students with elementary students, Business in Schools Initiative, a program that matches local business people one hour a week with school children and Girls Groups, a program matching community women with junior high school girls to help raise career awareness.\nThe organization served 683 Monroe and Owen County youth in July of 2003 through community-based, school-based, and group mentoring and other special programs.\nThe group also kicked off its latest recruiting campaign at the anniversary celebration with a goal of recruiting 130 new volunteers.\n"We've had a great time, it's been a lot of fun," Smith said. "You name it, we do it."\nFor more information on BBBS of South Central Indiana, visit the group's Web site at www.bloomington.in.us/~bbbs.\n-- Contact staff writer Brittany Hite at bhite@indiana.edu.