Celebrating120 Years of Mentorship

What can be accomplished in 120 years. Big Brothers and Big Sisters if finding out. For over a century generations have been creating supportive relationships with youth.

Recently, we met the Delbert Family, Bethany Hayes and Tom Warne and spoke with them about how the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Organization has made a BIG impact.

“I’m not going to lie. It was a little nerve racking,” said Bethany Hayes a former Big Sister. “So, I went through the application process. I was matched with a little out of the Guernsey County area. I went over and met her and her family. It was a good match and then we bonded really quickly.

“The late great Dave Osborne was the executive director at the time and he came in the donut shop and he and I just started talking about what he did and the mentoring thing came up and through those conversations, I got involved in the organization,” explained former Big Tom Warne.

“I heard a radio ad for Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Zanesville,” added John Delbert a former Big. “We have enough room in our home and hearts I guess to help another kids so I called her up and said I really want to do this.”

While the decision to become to become Bigs may have been an easy one, what came next couldn’t be predicted.

“The closeness didn’t start right away. It was challenging. It was challenging because we come from such different dynamics,” said John Delbert.

“It was a lot different then what I was used to just the whole dynamic of everything was just in the beginning foreign, but looking back it was a lot better than what I had,” added former little Bryan Namowicz.

But for all, it was about showing up.

“One of my favorite experiences with her was King’s Island,” said Hayes. “We took her there and watching her that day and that environment how big it is and the rides. She was just beside herself. She loved the whole day.”

“I just helped him navigate the difficult times he had in school and otherwise,” said Warne of his little. “It was just kind of incorporating him into my life, so he could see what a stable life looks like.”

“We all had to work with it. Not only was it just our family, but it was Bryan’s family that had to work with our dynamic and how we did things as a family,” explained Leilani Delbert.

What started as a match as a child turned into a connection into adulthood. Hayes is still in touch with her little, who is seeking a career in law enforcement just like Hayes.

“I did not anticipate over 10 years ago I still be in a relationship and having communications with her and she would kind of follow in my footsteps a little bit, so no I did not know that it would have that kind of big impact.”

Warne see his little from time to time and loves to catch up.

“I do run into him a few times a year. We’ll just stand there and talk for 15-20 minutes and catch up. See how his family is doing. He’s in his 40s now and he’s got a lot of life events just like the rest of us. ”

And Bryan is forever connected to the Delberts.

“It’s nice knowing that a lot of people don’t have that unfortunately including myself, I didn’t have that in the beginning at all. So, you appreciate it a lot more when it’s something you get then something you had. ”

“It’s just another resource for someone to have, someone in their corner and someone they can rely on if times are tough or if something happens in their life and they need additional support because we all know it takes a village. I would encourage everyone to be a part of that village,” added Leilani Delbert.