BBBS of Gallatin County
Branch and Satellite Offices:
Big Sky Branch
Ennis
West Yellowstone |
Awards and Recognitions
The Eitel family was matched with Kayla and from the beginning they had a great time together. They enjoy skiing, swimming, going on backpacking trips, going to the symphony, having sleepovers and the Eitel family even taught Kayla how to ride a bike! Since being matched, Kayla’s self confidence has improved, her grades have improved and her desire to learn new things has increased. Their relationship is reciprocal, Tom says “It is a great gift to have Kayla join us, she gives to us more than we help her”. Kayla’s mother, Denise, credits the Eitel family for giving her daughter great role models, great friends and she says “It always has been, is, and always will be the perfect match”. “They are so dependable, consistent and they make Kayla feel comfortable, I am very happy”.
Pam became a Big Sister because she wanted to mentor a child, be a positive role model in a child’s life and have the ability to share her life’s experiences with a child in the community. Some of Pam’s interests include crafts, reading, going to plays and music. She has a degree in business from Montana State University and now manages her own online business. Pam and Patricia were matched over four years ago. Pam’s influence on Patricia has been outstanding! Patricia and her mother, Melody, describe Pam as being fun, kind, sweet, funny and adventurous. They enjoy bowling together, crafts, volunteering at Big Brothers Big Sister’s events, going to the movies, going to the symphony, taking drives and “just hanging out together”. Today Pat is much more confident, doing better in school, and is thinking about attending college after High School. Melody gives Pam credit for influencing her daughter’s positive outlook on life. Pat said, “… she is a great Big! She’s easy to get along with and she’s up to doing practically everything. She is super trust-worthy; she can make any bad situation a good or funny one. Overall, she’s a great, warm, fun-loving person [and] when [she] is around you can’t help but smile.”
Peter Stewart has been chosen as Big Brother of the Year by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Gallatin County. He and his Little Brother, Jonathan, have been matched for over two years. They are an active pair who love to be outdoors - skiing, hiking, snowshoeing, camping, playing with and walking Peter's dogs. He is currently teaching his Little Brother how to ice skate and play hockey. He has helped Jonathan learn how to swim, do yard work and has gotten him involved in Tae Kwon Do. They have developed their special routines such as going out for ice cream or for breakfast. That includes making fun bets with pushups as the pay off. Jonathan loves what they do, especially skiing , skating and getting out to do things. His mother really appreciates that Peter teaches her son new things, helps him with reading and keeps up with his school progress. Jonathan's grades, attitude toward school and interests have greatly improved over the past year. Mom feels that Peter has made a positive impact on Jonathan's life and that they have a special bond. Peter is Senior Vice President for K12, Inc., based in Herndon, VA. As such he helps school leaders around the country develop high-tech schools. He travels frequently, but lives in Bozeman and always finds time for his Little Brother. He is also on the Board of Directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Gallatin County.
RaeAnne Friesenhahn, a recent Bozeman High graduate and current MSU-Bozeman student, has been chosen as Big of the Quarter by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Gallatin County. She has participated in the Rural Transition mentoring program for four years and in that time has mentored several children. She and her mentee’s have enjoyed the Rural Transition activities such as Shadow Day and Scavenger Hunt day. She has made a positive impact on the youth she mentors. Tyler’s teacher reports that his academic performance, attitude towards school, classroom behavior, and sense of the future have all improved since being matched with RaeAnne. Cody’s teacher says that not only has his self-confidence improved, but his ability to express his feelings has also been positively affected.
In addition to being a Big Sister, she is a member of the Program Committee where she has helped to implement new policy and has given suggestions for improvement. She has provided valuable insight and has proved to be an asset to the organization. RaeAnne has enjoyed her experience of being a Big Sister and hopes to continue mentoring in the future. |
LEGACY MATCHMAKER OP/TECH USA Century Club $100 Patron of Youth $350 Benefactor of Youth $500 Match Maker $1,000 Magic Maker $5,000 Dream Maker $10,000 Legacy Match Maker $20,000  |