UPDATES TO COVID-19 IN-PERSON MENTORING GUIDELINES
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) have updated their COVID-19 guidelines for in-person interactions, including recommendations for persons who have been fully vaccinated (defined as being more than two weeks out from receiving either the single-dose vaccine or their second dose of a two-dose vaccine). Accordingly, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central MN (BBBS) has updated its guidelines and recommendations for in-person match meetings.
When considering whether or not to meet in person, or what to do together, BBBS asks you to consider the following:
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Is everyone in agreement and comfortable with meeting in-person? If not, please continue to meet virtually, BBBS is not requiring in-person meetings at this time.
- Have you talked with your child’s Big or your Little and their parent/guardian(s) about masking expectations and what types of activities and locations are acceptable?
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Is the Big or the Little, or anyone in their household, at increased risk of severe illness due to COVID-19? If so, please practice the highest level of caution when deciding where/how to meet, including wearing a mask at all times.
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Is the Big, Little or anyone in either household sick or have had recent direct exposure to COVID-19? If so, please delay your in-person match meeting until it is safe and appropriate to get together.
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Have you signed the BBBS COVID Waiver? If not, please sign this waiver. If you have already signed this, you DO NOT need to sign this again. If you are unsure if you have signed it please check with your Program Coordinator.
If you’ve passed the above checks, below are BBBS’ guidelines for in-person match activities and meetings:
All matches are encouraged to carry face masks with them on any match outing in order to comply with different masking requirements throughout our community.
For Fully Vaccinated Matches: If the Big and the Little are both fully vaccinated, then they can gather outdoors or indoors without wearing a mask, including in vehicles. If anyone in the match is more comfortable with masking, please respect that and wear a mask.
For Non-Vaccinated Matches and Partially Vaccinated Matches: An important part of mentoring is modeling healthy behaviors and establishing good boundaries to keep oneself and others safe. As part of this, we are strongly encouraging and recommending that everyone wear a mask while indoors in public spaces, including vaccinated adults, as long as any member of the match or outing is not fully vaccinated.
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Outside: Masks are encouraged but are not required to be worn outside if everyone is able to maintain 6 feet of social distancing.
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Inside Private Locations with Less than 2 Households Present: If adults are fully vaccinated, masks are not required.
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Riding in a Vehicle: Masks are required if all adults in the vehicle present are not fully vaccinated. We also encourage limiting the number of passengers and ventilating the vehicle.
As a reminder, it is important that all participants respect one another’s decisions about meeting in person, including location (indoors/outdoors), protective measures, and activities. These guidelines are minimum expectations. If someone wants more COVID-related protections than CDC/MDH and BBBS are requiring (for instance, everyone wearing a mask outdoors when on a match outing,) please respect that, or continue to meet virtually. If you have concerns or need support with these conversations, please let us know.
YOU are making THE difference for kids during these challenging times. Thank you for caring about and standing with kids!
Ann Matvick
Program Director
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When: Monday, July 19th 5:30-7:00pm
Where: Lions Park (550 Pine St., Foley)
Who: All matches and waiting Littles. Littles must attend with a Big or parent/guardian.
What: Join us for a night of tie dye and yard games! This is a great opportunity to connect with other matches in person again. A snack will be provided.
*Be sure to bring a white item if you plan to tie dye!*
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When: Thursday, July 22nd 5:30-7:00pm
Where: Pierz Park (603 Park Ave, Pierz)
Who: All matches and waiting Littles. Littles must attend with a Big or parent/guardian.
What: Join us for a night of tie dye and yard games! This is a great opportunity to connect with other matches in person again. A snack will be provided.
*Be sure to bring a white item if you plan to tie dye!*
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When: Sunday, July 25th 4:05pm game
Where: Joe Faber Field (near the MAC in St. Cloud)
Who: All matches, waiting Littles, and families of Littles. All Littles must be accompanied by an adult. HS Bigs are able to attend on their own.
What: Our BBBS group will be sitting in Your Home Improvement Co. Lodge above the Rox dugout! Food, soda, and water will be provided through the 7th inning.
Limit: 48
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JUNE 8TH IS NATIONAL BEST FRIENDS DAY!
On June 8th, honor your closest and dearest friend on Best Friends Day. The relationship between best friends is often fierce and can withstand distance, storms and silence. Whether we’ve known them all our lives or they are more recently acquired, best friends make tough times bearable, fun times memorable, and memorable times priceless.
No matter how many best friends surround you, get together and celebrate the day! Celebrations can be as low key or as flamboyant as desired. A picnic in the park, a get together over coffee, a phone call to chat or a nice meal in a favorite restaurant. Click here for more history and information.
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Annandale Paintball - Buy one rental get one rental free. *Free rental does not include paintballs, purchased rental includes paintballs. |
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Munchkins needed! Great Northern Theatre Company is holding an additional munchkin audition for kids K-6 on Thursday, June 3, 6:00 p.m. at the Rocori HS theater in Cold Spring. The process will be VERY easy and there will be a reduced practice schedule for the munchkins.
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Farmers Market: Check out a Farmers Market. There are plenty of places to pick up locally grown produce and locally made goods nearly every day of the week! Click here for local Farmers Markets.
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Music in the Gardens: The Music In The Gardens concerts are free, presented by the Munsinger Clemens Botanical Society. Cristina Seaborn will be performing on Sunday, June 13th starting at 3 p.m. Bring a camp chair to the concert near the lower Gazebo in Munsinger Gardens on the banks of the Mississippi River. Root beer floats will be available for $1, while quantities last. Click here for more information.
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THE HOMEGROWN 5K, 2 MILE, & "LITTLE SPROUTS" 1K - 2021
The Homegrown 5K will host a farmers market and craft fair with their 5K race on June 11th from 5-8 pm. Hosted on the gorgeous Mississippi at Wilson Park in St. Cloud on a beautiful June Friday evening. There will be no one better place to be! Click here for more information.
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SUMMER READING PROGRAM
JUNE 7TH TO AUGUST 7TH
Join in the way that works for you:
- Early literacy program for ages 0-3.
- Independent reading programs for kids and teens.
- Pickup a reading log at your library.
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OR, use Beanstack to log your reading and activities on griver.beanstack.org OR Beanstack Tracker app.
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AROUND CLOUD TUTORS AVAILABLE THIS SUMMER!
Around Cloud Tutors service will be available during the summer for those who will be in summer school or want to brush up on a few subjects over the summer.
Junior and Seniors who would like help with ACT Prep can also utilize this free service. There are also additional College and Career Advice sessions such as Essay Editing, College Application Assistance and Trades and Skilled Worker Advising to name a few. Please click here for link.
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LITTLE BIG VIRTUAL ACADEMY
The purpose of the Little Big Virtual Academy is to keep Littles and Bigs connected during times of physically distancing. When matches might not be able meet in-person, they can continue to communicate and interact via phone and computer. 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- click here to link to the website!
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PROGRAM STAFF CONTACT INFO |
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Please contact our staff if you have any questions regarding matches.
Ann Matvick, Program Director
Jamie Lodermeier, Program Coordinator
Kayla Meyer, Program Coordinator
Mary Bellefeuille, Lead Program Coordinator
Rebecca Fonss, Program Coordinator
Robyn Rieland, Program Coordinator
Tasha Bruns-Notsch, Lead Enrollment Coordinator
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Hey BIGS!! Do you know someone who would be a great mentor to a child in our community? Use the above Big Nomination graphic by sending it to them. You could message it, text it, print and hand deliver, or post it on their social media. Let them KNOW that you could see them as a BIG! We are now holding Info Sessions online via Zoom- let's create a waiting list of Bigs!
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Listed below are several community resources. Please visit our updated BBBS website Resources page for a more extensive listing, including tutors, food and heating assistance, and mental health resources.
Career Solutions - Career Solutions offers career counseling, job search assistance and even potential retraining available at no cost. They are supported by State and Federal funds to help people who are unemployed find meaningful employment as quickly as possible, and can provide information on the Dislocated Worker Program. They serve Stearns and Benton county residents and are one of the partners of CareerForce (formerly the WorkForce Center) – St. Cloud. Click here to learn more.
Vaccine Connector - Minnesotans can sign up at mn.gov/vaccineconnector. Minnesotans unable to sign up online can call 833-431-2053 for assistance signing up over the phone. Translation is available by phone in all languages. Minnesotans can call the translation hotline at 833-431-2053 for assistance signing up over the phone.
United Way 2-1-1 Resource Hotline - United Way is encouraging anyone who may be in need of assistance accessing food, rent, mortgage, utility assistance or any other essential service, to dial 2-1-1 or text MNCOVID to 898-211. Click here for more information.
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