OC Big Brothers, Big Sisters Honored At Big Night

ORANGE COUNTY, CA — January is National Mentoring Month and there was no better way to kick that off than by recognizing Orange County's exceptional volunteers. The Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Orange County and the Inland Empire announced the finalists for the Big Brother and Big Sister of the Year.

The nonprofit matches youth facing adversity, referred to as Littles, with a one-to-one mentor, or Bigs. These are those who went over and above in the local community, a spokesperson for that organization told Patch.

Big Brother of the Year finalists:

• Kyle Cormier of Costa Mesa
• Koenraad Lecot of Costa Mesa
• Jacob Mize of Fullerton
• Ricardo Rivas of Santa Ana
• John Viscounty of Santa Ana

Big Sister of the Year finalists:

• Valisa Carney of Redlands
• Bonny Chou of Long Beach
• Catherine Helshoj of Laguna Beach
• Jasmine Johnson of Fullerton
• Marilyn Stemper of Corona del Mar

The finalists have demonstrated significant impact in the lives of their Littles, evidenced by each child’s academic, behavioral and social-emotional progress, according to the group. Each has demonstrated a passion for the organization’s mission and have been champions for Big Brothers Big Sisters through recruitment efforts and advocacy of mentorship in the community.

“Our Big of the Year finalists are a testament to the impact that mentorship can have on underserved youth,” said Sloane Keane, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County and the Inland Empire. “Mentors like these 10 individuals help empower youth and ignite their inherent potential so they can navigate difficult situations and thrive. This National Mentoring Month, we are so proud to honor our finalists and thank our thousands of volunteers who go above and beyond in their commitment to creating positive change.”

Orange County Big of the Year winners will be announced Jan. 28 at the organization’s volunteer information event, Big Night. Community members are invited to attend Big Night at Left Coast Brewing in Irvine at 6 p.m. to learn more about how to give back and invest in local youth by becoming a mentor.

To learn more about the organization and how to get involved, visit: www.ocbigs.org or www.iebigs.org.