Every Wednesday at 11:20 a.m. I leave my office, jump in my car and drive 10 minutes to Pinehurst Elementary School in North Charleston. I check in at the main office, receive my name badge and then proceed to the school cafeteria. Usually by the time I arrive, I see 2nd Grader Evelin and she waves and walks my way. We sit together at the other end of the cafeteria table. We talk about upcoming holidays, what she learned in math class that day, sometimes we even do some multiplication or subtraction using fruit from her tray. We’ll talk about her little brother who annoys her and her friends. We’ll talk about riding bikes or about my dog Sammy. In fact, sometimes we’ll fit in a quick game of “I Spy.” By about 12:15 it’s time for her to join her classmates as they line up to return to class. I wave goodbye and head back to work.
That’s it, just an hour per week is all it takes with the Lunch Buddy program through Be A Mentor. Not only do I feel like I’m making a difference in Evelin’s life, just by being there to listen, she’s certainly impacting mine. I look forward to seeing her and it feels pretty good to know that in that hour she knows I care about her.
January is National Mentoring Month. From the National Mentoring Month Website:
“To be a mentor, you don’t need special skills, just an ability to listen and to offer friendship, guidance and encouragement to a young person. And you’ll be amazed by how much you’ll get out of the experience.”
Locally, it’s so easy to be a mentor! Be A Mentor, located here in Charleston is helping students like Evelin find mentors. Be A Mentor was founded in 2004 and has since recruited over 1,000 mentors for Charleston’s leading mentoring organizations. They offer a number of programs for you to choose from including Lunch Buddies (which is what I participate in along with several of my colleagues here at the credit union), One Book at A Time (another popular program with South Carolina Federal’s employees), Big Brother Big Sister, Communities in Schools and more. With so many options, you’re sure to find a program that fits your schedule–whether you can spare a lunch hour per week, an hour after school, or a weekend afternoon.
If you’re ready to make a difference in a child’s life, simply complete the Be A Mentor volunteer form.
