Bill is up to the challenge!

Sharing the stories of BBBSOLA is so important in understanding who we are and what it is our organization is trying to accomplish. As we continue to capture these stories it is crucial that we consider those of the past.  Big Brothers Big Sisters of London and Area has been operating since 1971 and in Canada as early as 1912.

We want you to meet Bill! Bill is a Londoner is who is formerly of Chatham and is a former Big Brother and current BBBSOLA donor. This photo of Bill and his little brother was featured in an article in the Chatham Daily News. Just as in 1984, Big Brothers Big Sisters organizations are always seeking volunteers who can give their time to a young person in need.

Bill was kind enough to answer some questions about his experiences with Big Brothers Big Sisters. His dedication to service is apparent as a former police officer who at the time wanted to give more back to his community. But in his own words, why did he do it, “to provide opportunities, guidance and mentoring to a Little Brother. I believed that I could provide different opportunities during the formative years of a Little Brother that would have otherwise not been available.”

So what stood out for Bill with his experience? Even 30 years later the answer is something that BBBSOLA and other Big Brothers Big Sisters organizations across the country like to say they get to hear often, “although it was 30 years ago, I recall how excited my little brother was when I picked him up just to do a fun activity like bowling or just hang out for a few hours to play board games.”

Bill noted that being raised in a large family with foster children helped him see the value in an adult-child relationship. We thank Bill so much for sharing his experience with us and want to leave you with what he shared with us when asked what inspired him, “I believe many very important community agencies would not be able to offer the numerous services they provide without volunteers getting involved by giving their time and/or donations. Community organizations are faced with yearly challenges including maintaining their funding and finding new volunteers to keep the organization running therefore; that’s why I give back. Although I am no longer a Big Brother, I still volunteer in another capacity for another organization as Board Member.”