The Match Discount Partners list has been recently updated! Check out all of the great ideas for your Match here! Here are two of our newest match discount partners!

MLK Jr Art & Essay Contest - Students from the St. Cloud School District and surrounding area are invited to express their thoughts and reflections on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by submitting visual art, essay or spoken word pieces. This year's theme is 'Our Beloved Community,' and awards will be announced at the 10th Annual MLK Everyday Community Celebrations Jan. 14-16, 2023. Awards are given out by age group. Click here for more information or to register.

Stars & S'mores - Come take a closer look at the night sky! On Saturday, Oct. 8, learn about the night sky from St. Cloud State professors and make your own planisphere in the park shelter! This event runs from 7:30-9 p.m. at Wilson Park and costs $5 per participant. Click here for more information or to register.

Fall Storytime at St. Cloud Library - Every Tuesday from Sept. 20 through Oct. 25, the St. Cloud library is hosting story time from 10:15-10:45 a.m. in the Children's Program Room. Storytime will include stories stories and songs geared towards children ages 3-6. It is limited to 20 children per session, so please register here.

World's Largest Corn Maze - The world's largest corn maze is right in St. Cloud's backyard! Head to Stoney Brook Farms in Foley to check out the corn maze and pumpkin patch - open Friday through Sunday from Sept. 10-Oct. 30 - and Harvest Fun Days! Please click here for more information.

Explore at the Outdoor U! - If you love the great outdoors, check out the Outdoor U on the Saint John's campus in Collegeville. The Arboretum has 15 miles of hiking trails as well as biking trails, a swimming beach, disk golf and trails for skiing and snowshoeing in the winter - all for free! Please click here for more information.

Bag of Books - From October 20-22, the St. Cloud Friends of the Library is hosting its annual Bag of Books book sale in the Mississippi Room at the St. Cloud Public Library. Used books, DVDs, magazines and audio books are available to purchase for $4 per bag. Sale times and more details are available here.

On Wednesday, Oct. 19, tune in for a virtual neurodiversity training. Not sure what ADHD, autism or dyslexia means? This short, interactive presentation will teach you the basics. The training starts at 5:30 p.m. via Zoom and will be recorded. It is geared towards high school and college students as well as parents/guardians. Click here for more info or to register by Oct 12.

Join BBBS of Central Minnesota and our partners at Thrivent on Thursday, Nov. 10, for a bean bag tournament fundraiser! Stop by Bad Habit in St. Joe from 4-7 p.m. for socializing, refreshments and a bean bag tournament. Cost to enter the tournament is $20 per team, and all proceeds go to BBBS of Central MN! Email Emily Steinmetz to RSVP!

On Monday, Nov. 21, the Jacob Wetterling Resource Center is hosting a virtual training for Bigs, Parents/Guardians, and other adults in the community to help navigate the virtual landscape and watch for potential red flags. This presentation, which runs from 6-7:30 p.m., details the risks students are facing, and practical, positive ways that adults can respond. Click here to register by Nov. 16.

Applications are now open for the North Star Exchange/Granite City Rotary exchange program for the 2023-24 school year. High school students between the ages of 15 and 19 are invited to apply to study abroad for one year in one of 34 different countries. Applications are due by Nov. 9. Please click here for more information.

Are you a Thrivent member with a Thrivent Action Team, or do you know someone who is? Starting this Fall, BBBS is partnering with Thrivent on a number of fundraisers that will utilize their generosity programs to further Thrivent's event impact. Get involved by reaching out to Emily Steinmetz at Emily@BigDefenders.org. Please click here for more information.

As kids around Central Minnesota get ready to head back to school, BBBS is gearing up to support them! Between Aug. 22 and Oct. 31, BBBS of Central MN is looking to recruit 100 new Bigs to support waiting Littles in the area. If you know anyone interested in being a Big or someone who would be a great mentor, send them here for more information!

Are you looking for an easy way to give back to BBBS of Central MN every month? Start rounding up! Connect a card of your choice, and every time you make a purchase with that card, the total is rounded up to the next dollar - and that money goes to BBBS of Central MN! Round Up change accumulates and is donated on the last day of the month. Click here for more information!

Welcome to a whole world of fun, learning, and resources - The Little Big Virtual Academy!

The Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota team has compiled a list of fun and interactive activities and resources for Littles and Bigs to do together (either in-person or virtually) click here to check it out!

We are looking for more Bigs to ignite the potential of our youth. Click here to get started today!

Please visit our BBBS Website to view resources and information for parents/guardians & Bigs including mentoring videos and parenting resources. We also have an extensive listing of community resources including tutors, food and housing assistance, and mental health resources. BigDefenders.org

In addition, we also list past issues of the Big Happenings on our website. Please click here to access past issues.

MSU Mankato is offering three Next Generation Nursing Assistant Classes this fall. The classes start Sept. 5, Oct. 3 and Oct. 31. The classes are free of charge and are offered in a hybrid format. Free CNA training is also open to all Minnesotans who are 16 or older. Please click here for more information.

Around Cloud Tutors continues to provide free, virtual tutoring services to all K-12 students in the greater St. Cloud region. Please click here for link.