| St. Paul, Minn. (March 25, 2008) – Bill Heuer, a former Council Bluffs resident and Lewis Central graduate, received the 2008 Big of the Year Award for his role as a volunteer mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Twin Cities (BBBS). Each year, BBBS presents five Big of the Year Awards to outstanding, long-term mentors (Bigs) who are committed to the mission and vision of BBBS and who proactively work to help their mentees (Littles) grow in positive ways.
Bill Heuer has been matched with his Little Brother, Trey, for more than five years. With no male role model in his life, Trey’s mother hoped that a Big Brother would help Trey to develop a consistent and positive relationship with a male figure. Bill has definitely lived up to all her expectations. Bill’s commitment to Trey has resulted in a relationship that has impacted Trey’s emotional health, family life and school performance in ways far beyond what his mother imagined. Trey’s mother has witnessed “an emotionally strong, positive and healthy young man” emerge.
Although school had always been a source of frustration for Trey, he recently received an honorable mention for the honor role at his school. This transformation may be due to the trip Trey took with Bill to Iowa State University, where they toured the campus and watched a football game. When school started a few weeks later, Trey’s mother observed a vast difference in Trey’s performance academically and his overall attitude towards learning. Regarding this shift towards academic excellence, Trey recently told his mom, “All I needed was a goal. I’ve found that goal.”
Bill’s influence stretches beyond helping Trey as an individual. Bill’s guidance reaches everyone in the family, as he does not hesitate to listen to the concerns of Trey’s mother, and Trey often passes along the advice he receives from Bill to Kenley, his younger brother.
Bill was recognized for his outstanding commitment to Trey at BBBS’ 10th Annual Awards Gala in February, and he will be presented with his Big of the Year Award on April 4th at BBBS’ Volunteer Appreciation Ceremony. Bill currently resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His parents, Jim and Chris Heuer, continue to reside in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
About BBBS
BBBS’ mission is to enrich young people’s lives through one-to-one friendships. In 2007, the organization served approximately 3,400 matches. BBBS is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that has served the Twin Cities area for 88 years. To learn more, call 651-789-2400 or visit www.bigstwincities.org. |
