Big Brothers Big Sisters Needs Men; Holiday Inn Partners in Recruiting Effort

Big Brothers Big Sisters needs men.  Only three out of 10 new volunteers at Big Brothers Big Sisters are men, which means that plenty of young boys around the country are match ready and waiting for some good men to step forward.  That’s why Holiday Inn, the Official Hotel of Major League Baseball, Big Brothers Big Sisters and baseball teams and BBBS agencies in five cities joined forces this summer to recruit more male volunteers in a promotion called “Step Up to the Plate.”

As a sweetener, two men who signed up and were matched between July 10, when the campaign kicked off with the Century 21 All Star Home Run Derby in Pittsburgh and September 15 would have an opportunity to attend Game 4 of the World Series with their new “Little Brothers”.  By that date more than 100 new matches had been made with more in the pipeline.

And the matches, picked at random, are: Big Brother Bruce Mosher and “Little,” Elijah from Cincinnati
and Big Brother Joe Clifford and “Little,” Ka’Mare from Minneapolis.

The matches and their chaperones flew to St. Louis for their designated game, October 25. But that was the night that the skies opened.  That didn’t dampen the spirits of those in attendance.  The kids got to go on the field as “honorary batboys” and were give a royal, VIP treatment by Holiday Inn and Major League Baseball.  They described the evening as a “once in a lifetime experience.”

Holiday Inn also made available 10 tickets so that five matches from the local (St. Louis) Big Brothers Big Sisters agency could attend the October 26 and 27 games.

While the 2006 baseball season is over, it’s not too late for men to Step Up to the Plate and become a Big Brother.  Being a “Big Brother” requires no experience: just one hour a week is all it takes.  Busy men of all ages do fun activities that fit their lifestyle like grabbing a pizza, watching a ballgame or just hanging out.  Local Big Brothers Big Sisters walk volunteers through the process and provide step-by-step help.