Thanks to all of our NEW MENTORS FOR 2010 !!
You are the EVERY DAY HEROES of our community!
More than 80 Sonoma Valley residents have signed up to Mentor this year. They come from all walks of life, all ages, all cultures, and all backgrounds. They share one important trait - they want to make a difference in the life of a local child. Mentoring is not a short term, or light-weight commitment. As our executive Director kathy Witkowicki likes to say - 'it's not puppy petting!"
When you commit to Mentoring, you are committing to meeting each week, for at least one hour, with a local student. You are committing to a long term relationship, that will last from the day you are matched, until your mentee graduates from High School, and possibly beyond. Many Mentors and Mentees become friends for life! Sure it helps that we have an action-packed, fun and lively Mentor Center on each school campus. And sure, it also helps that we also have a professional Mentor Facilitator at each school site. We also sponsor a full schedule of activities, outings, classes and other extra-curricular activities for Mentors and Mentees. In other words, you never have to go it alone when you are a Mentor in the Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance 'Stand By Me' Program. But, it is the deep personal commitment that mentors make which impresses me. I know of a Mentor who is planning to teach his Mentee to play golf this summer! I know of a Mentor who shares her love of art by teaching classes to all of our Mentors and Mentees on a regular basis. I know of a Mentor who just took her Mentee to visit the colleges she was accepted to, so that she could make the right choice for her college career!
Bravo to all of of our Mentors, and a special "high five" to the brand new 2010 Mentors!! We appreciate you!
