May event will involve fundraising along with recruitment
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[The Big Brothers Big Sisters organization provided a way for adults to become involved in the lives of children in need of a friend and mentor.
When its office in Franklin County closed about two years ago, board members formed a new program called Mentors for Kids to serve the 63 matched kids who were no longer able to participate.
It took over a year for Mentors for Kids to become a reality, but it is a viable organization in Saline County with 10 matches of mentors and mentees. However, the waiting list of kids in need of a match is at 30 and is growing.
Now, Dale Fowler and Michael Handwerk are planning an event to recruit new mentors into the program and raise money.
The event is 6 p.m. May 14 at the SIC Foundation Building and is called Chance for Kids.
Fowler organized a similar event three years ago for the Southeastern Illinois College Board at the SIC Foundation Building which involved $100 tickets. Each ticket will be good for a couple, includes an upscale dinner, music, testimonials from adult mentors, chances to win money all night long and the ultimate goal is convincing people to pick up a packet, fill it out and agree to mentor a child.
Fowler is president of the Fowler-Bonan Foundation that raises money to provide clothing for children in need and agreed to join the Mentors For Kids Board as its mission fits with that of his foundation and knows he can contribute charitable fundraising expertise.
Handwerk is a child psychologist who joined the Mentors For Kids board knowing the need for such a program in the area.
"The focus is the relationship being about a friendship," Handwerk said.
Adults must commit to spending six hours a month with a child. An hour-and-a-half a week is the ideal schedule, but if that is not possible at least a phone call during a week when contact is not possible is adequate. Activities might include going to a movie, a ball game, inviting the child over for dinner, going on a hike and generally showing the youngster that there is an adult outside the family who takes a concern in his or her well-being.
The successful relationship begins with friendship that gradually leads to the child trusting the adult.
If an adult comes into the program with the goal of changing the child's life, the relationship may be unsuccessful because many kids are not ready.
But over time the bonds can become strong.
The kids are between ages 5 and 17 who want a mentor.
"They may be socially awkward, have peer difficulty, might come from disadvantaged homes," Handwerk said.
"They may have behavioral or emotional problems. For a kid with a mental issue, we are going to go out of our way to find an appropriate mentor for that type of child."
There is a screening process for appropriate mentors involving a background check with fingerprinting and a check of the prospective mentor's living conditions. Anyone with a history of abuse cannot be eligible.
A successful match can in some cases mean survival for a needy youngster.
"I have seen mentors change a kid's life. They have the potential to change a kids' lives forever," Handwerk said.
The Chance For Kids event involves a registration card filled out for each ticket. The cards will be placed into a basket with pre-established prizes determined for the sequence of tickets drawn. Ticket number one will receive $100, Fowler said. Ticket number five may be set to receive baseball game tickets.
The final eight remaining ticket holders will be asked to gather around a table whereupon sits 1,000 $1 bills. The eight remaining ticket-holders will be asked whether to split the money among all eight or to risk their ticket being drawn for entire $1,000 prize.
Fowler said during the event no one will be permitted to return the money to Mentors For Kids.
Fowler knows the event will raise considerable money that Mentors For Kids might use in marketing campaigns or for other expenses, but the program needs mentors much more than it needs money.
A successful fundraising effort might still be considered a failure if there are no mentors who agree to join the program.
Sponsors so far for the event include KWR Consulting, Fowler-Bonan Foundation, Harrisburg Medical Center, Ferrell Hospital, Legence Bank, Angelly Trucking and Excavating, Medicap Pharmacy, Integrated Health, Primary Care Group, Tri-State Business, Medicine Shoppe, Clearwave, Becks Drug Store and Rob Aaron Concrete Construction.
Fowler said the Fowler-Bonan Foundation will pledge $1,000 to Mentors For Kids if 10 mentors agree to sign up and hopes other organizations might devise similar challenges.