Times Advocate, 1991-10-23, Page 5SPFLCIAI. FFAT1IRF
Tijnes-Advocate, October 23, 1991
Page 5
South Huron Big Brothers/Big Sisters a local success story
By Ray Lewis
EXETER - As we move forever
closer to the 21st century, society
continues to change as does the
family unit. More than ever before
our culture is confronted with an
abundance of single -parent fami-
lies, and a host of personal, social
and psychological problems which
leave parents and children alike
searching for solutions.
South Huron Big Brothers/Big
Sisters is one aid to such problems,
which has been working to help
single -parent families in the area
for well over a decade.
In July of 1903, Irvin Westheim-
er, a Cincinnati businessman, was
appalled at the sight of a young boy
rooting through garbage eating
what he could and sharing the rest
with his puppy. He introduced
himself, bought the boy lunch and
resolved to help the boy's widowed
mother as best he could.
Westheimer found room in his
firm to employ the boy's mother
and sister, and gradually spent
more time with the boy. The busi-
nessman soon recognized a need
for other such services in other cit-
ies, and the idea of Big Brothers
was formed.
Likewise, the organization which
many area parents have welcomed,
established its roots in much the
same way.
"A woman in the community
came to us because she was wor-
Jeff Rathwell spends a lot of time looking after his Big Brother, George Finch.
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424 Main Street Exeter 235-1331
my A
r
1
EXECIMIN
President: Cathy Hugill
Past President: Marlene Bed-
ard
Vice President Zelda lnthout
Treasurer Les Hills
Secretary: Margaret D'Anna
HOARD OF DIRECTORS
Mary Lou Becker
Jim Chapman
Marlene Davelaar
Doris Giddings
Gary Hugill
Dwight Monck
Russ Watson
Ray Lewis
SLUE
Executive Director: Dorothy
Chapman
Administrator: Jill Pritchard
ried about her then teenage son,"
said current executive director Dor-
othy Chapman. "Things got rolling
from there."
In June of 1977, a group of peo-
ple recognized that there was a
need for a Big Brother agency in
South Huron. A steering commit-
tee was set up to investigate how to
form such an association, headed
by Glen Wright. The committee
later opted to form an agency, and
the first meeti ,g of the Board of
- --Directors was held on September
27, with Wright as president.
In the following two months the
directors worked diligently, receiv-
ing advice from Cliff Hall, the ex-
ecutive director of Big Brothers of
Canada, who visited Exeter to de-
scribe how the local organization
could apply for a membership in
the parent club. The request for a
chapter was made in December,
and the board was rewarded with
their charter in February, 1979.
Since that time, South Huron
Big Brothers has aided many area
children, and has since added a Big
Sisters program. South Huron op-
erates with an executive consisting
of a president, vice president, secre-
tary and treasurer, along with help
from an elected board of directors.
Members of the board are selected
at an annual meeting, with half of
the board elected each year on a
two-year cycle. The term of office
SOUTH HURON
BIG BROTHERS/BIG SISTERS ASSOCIATION
aVNlpd; By Cincinnati businessman Irvin Westheimer, 1903
EtilaWkakCCILCIaadat 1964
• Big Brothers 1979; Big Sisters 1981
"fammeL To provide the one -parent child with the friendship of an
adult that is personally, socially and psychologically satisfying to that
individual child.
Mejahtudgm Open to any person, association or corporation in good
standing within the community.
Miler F undraiaer. Bowl For Millions, held every February
on; P.O. Box 113 Exeter, Ontario
wpb; 235-3307
is two years.
In addition, a staff' consisting of
an executive director and adminis-
trator oversee operations including
screening and matching. Potential
Big Brothers and Sisters are
screened as are parents and Little
Brothers and Sisters. After much
careful consideration, 'Big' and 'Lit -
ties' are paired in what everyone
hopes will be a successful match.
To date, one of South Huron's
most successful matches has been
between OPP constable George
Finch and his little brother Jeff
Rathwell. The two have now been
together since November, 1989.
"I guess he's preuy good," laughs
Jeff. "We do a lot of fun things to-
gether."
Aside from attending many
events planned and sponsored by
South Huron Big Brothers/Big Sis-
ters such as trips to ball games, pic-
nics and kite flying, the duo takes
part in many other activities on
their own. Flying, canoeing and
hiking are all parts of their unique
relationship. This past weekend
they, along with other 'Bigs' and
'Littles' from South Huron, met up
with counterparts from metro To-
ronto to catch a CFL game between
the Toronto Argonauts and Calgary
Stampeders.
"Neither one of us has ever been
to Skydome," said Finch. "So
we're both pretty excited."
Since the inception of South Hu-
ron Big Brothers/Big Sisters, 'Bigs'
and'Littles' have been given the op-
portunity to share a unique and ben-
eficial friendship, which in many
cases would otherwise be lacking.
It not only offers children of single -
parent families a chance to begin a
kind of comradeship, for many
South Huron matches it has also
provided a happy ending.
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Open House
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We are having a storewide sale Oct. 17 to 26
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It's our way of saying thanks for your
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Engagement rings
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Limited
235-2720
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