Saturday, February 4, 2012

Last year, Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters matched nearly 6,000 kids. About 3,000 kids are still unmatched.

Money raised through Bowl For Kids' Sake will help pay for the cost of matching bigs with littles.

"I'm really luck to have one also, because she's a good role model," said Ciera Fralin-Moore, a little in the program.

For the past year, 10-year-old Ciera has gained a sister. She was one of thousands of kids who found a match through Big Brothers Big Sisters.

"It's very fun and it's very interesting. You don't have to sit at home and do this (folding arms) all day long. Now that you have one, you're lucky," said Ciera.

Ciera's big sister, Dani Erker, visits her once week. They share experiences together and have seen their relationship grow.

"It's been amazing just within the last year to have to see her mature and grow. She's only 10 but she's going on 20. It's just been amazing to watch her," said Dani.

Dani chose to become a big after hearing about the program at work. Her commitment to this mentoring relationship is one that benefits both.

"It helps them become more a successful adult. They have a role model to look up to. As a big, I get probably more out of it then she does," said Dani.

Organizers said the program aims to help at-risk children and said that more than half of the littles show improvement in school.

"It gets them involved in school. They want to go there. When their mentors show up, they're more likely to be there at school and they want to make sure that they stay in school, so they can spend time with their mentor on a regular basis," said Mark Eby, chief operating officer for Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Although Ciera and Dani may not be real sisters, their relationship is real.

"We've grown and become like real sisters and it's been a really great experience," said Dani.

To learn more about volunteering, click here.

The annual Bowl For Kids' Sake kicked off with a $150,000 donation from Koch Industries. The goal is to raise $515,000 through the campaign this year.

If you'd like to donate to Big Brothers Big Sisters, click here.