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Good times were had by all at the Big Brothers Big Sisters annual Christmas party. Held once again at Big Sister Lynne Parsons’ Morning Glory Farm, the celebration was enjoyed by bigs, littles, family members and everyone else in attendance.

Guests welcomed a pretty day for outdoor activities, including corn hole games, hiking around the lake, enjoying the oak tree swing and making s’mores at the bonfire. Inside the pavilion Bigs and Littles visited while making Christmas decorations. 

Many contributed to brighten the holidays for the Littles. Party refreshments were provided by Big Sister Sue Anderson and her Little Sister Nathalie and by Council members and BBBS staff. The party was funded in part by a gift from the Arthur M and Frances H Wilhelm Fund at the Polk County Community Foundation.

During the Christmas season more than fifty children enrolled in Big Brothers Big Sisters received gifts collected from the BBBS Angel Tree project, the Tryon Red Ryder BB Gun Club and Toys for Tots. The family of each Little was also given a grocery gift card from Big Brothers Big Sisters. 

The spirit of giving impacts many during the holidays and Big Brothers Big Sisters is very grateful for the generosity of those in our community who are so considerate of the youth served by BBBS. At a time of year when many organizations beseech help from others, it is especially heartening that these donors are willing to contribute in such a direct and meaningful way to bring joy into the lives of children facing adversity in their young lives. 

There are always children on the waiting list for a volunteer mentor. A Big Brother or Big Sister to share time with them would be one of the greatest gifts of all. The volunteer commitment is once weekly for school mentors or outings twice a month for community-based matches. For more information on how you can help, please contact BBBS at 828-859-9230 or polk@bbbswnc.org. 

Submitted by Karen Dacey