Derrick Levasseur, winner of CBS' Big Brother Season 16, attends Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ocean State's annual Holiday Party

Saturday morning, December 6, 2014,Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Oceans State(BBBSOS)  hosted over 50 of their mentors (Bigs) and the children they mentor (Littles) from across the state at Shiners Imperial room in Pawtuxet Village for their Annual Holiday Party.   The event was funded in part by Balise Toyota of Warwick, Rhode Island Shriners Charities Trust and a colorful arts and crafts table was hosted by volunteers from Coastway Community Bank.  The day was a lot of fun for the children and highlighted the many ways the world celebrates the holidays.   Children and their mentors were treated to a delicious brunch, played holiday themed games together and took photos with the one and only, Santa!

Michael O’Connell, General Manager of Balise Toyota of Warwick, had this to say, “At Balise we feel it’s important to give back to the community.  The Toyota Dealer Match Program allows us to really ramp up our donation in a more meaningful way.  Having participated in Big Brothers Big Sisters Holiday Party last year, I saw first-hand what a difference this makes.”

A highlight for guests and fans of CBS’s Big Brother Season 16 was BBBSOS’ Key Note Speaker, Derrick Levasseur, who spoke about his personal struggles growing up in Central Falls and how meeting an encouraging Social Worker in 5th grade put him on the path to success.“What you do today, will affect the choices you will have in the future, even though you’re young, it starts now,” said Derrick.  To view the speech in its entirety, visit Derrick’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/DerrickBigBrother16

Executive Director, Deb Saunders had this to say,   “Many of the children in our program do not have another opportunity to enjoy the holiday season.  Our Annual Holiday Party is meant to give the children we serve the chance to celebrate the season with their mentor in a fun and supportive environment.”  BBBSOS also hosts a Holiday Help program where parents/guardians of children in the program come into the office and select gifts for their children and are also given a gift card to help with the holiday shopping that can be so stressful for families.

Volunteering your time as a mentor is more than just a rewarding experience for the child; it’s a rewarding experience for all those involved, its knowing what you’re doing today, will positively impact the future.  To become a mentor to one of the 200+ boys and girls still waiting for someone to be the change in their life, visit www.BBBSOS.org or call 401.921.2434 and begin the simple and convenient application process today!