Bowl for Norman kids, help your game

NORMAN — Cleveland County’s office of Big Brothers Big Sisters Oklahoma has been serving children in our community for more than 50 years. Volunteers and the children they have mentored will testify to the impact the organization has had on their lives during the past four decades.

Although 640 matches were made last year in Cleveland County, 102 children are waiting. These children come from many different situations, but they have one thing in common — they could use a positive role model. In order to match these children, Big Brothers Big Sisters is asking the community to help — by bowling.

The organization is kicking off its Bowl for Kids’ Sake campaign. Families, friends and co-workers can form teams and have fun while raising money to help children in the community. Each team that raises $625 will take one child off the waiting list.

For more information or to register for Bowl for Kids’ Sake, go to www.strikeitbig.net, where teams can even create a fundraising Web page. If you are looking for a place to volunteer in the community, consider Big Brothers Big Sisters. The organization offers several types of mentoring programs. Programs can be tailored for people who have busy schedules.

Sandy Huse of the Cleveland County Big Brothers Big Sisters office said youth development experts agree that mentoring is a critical element in a child’s social, emotional and cognitive development. Helping to make a child’s life more meaningful could be quite rewarding, both for you and the child.