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Consider serving as big brother, big sister

The Big Brother, Big Sister concept of helping children in a community has been around for many years.

The local chapter has been operating quietly, but now organizers are looking to expand here. Washington County is covered by the Athens County chapter of Big Brothers, Big Sisters, which focuses on making a difference in the lives of children by pairing them with positive mentors and role models.

The Athens chapter hopes to grow enough locally to be able to hire a part-time coordinator to expand the program.

Currently, the local effort has five children paired with mentors. The children don’t have to be from single -parent or nontraditional families. They just have to be someone who can benefit from the time and effort of an adult volunteer.

Qualifications to volunteer are pretty simple: Be an adult who is willing to dedicate working with the child once a week and commit to do that for a year.

Volunteer candidates must undergo a background check and some training from the Big Brothers, Big Sisters organization. A home visit and interview also are conducted as part of the screening process.

Helping children through Big Brothers, Big Sisters may not be for everyone, but if it sounds like something you might like to we encourage you to call (740) 797-0037 or go to bbsaathens.org or director@bbbsathens.org to learn more.

We know there are plenty of children in the communities of Marietta, Belpre and all around Washington County that could benefit from quality time with a positive adult role model.

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