July 2022
Hello Friend!
Happy New Year, well, to our agency it is a new year! We ended our 53rd year with a bang and are now starting our 54th year in central Minnesota. As you’ll read in this newsletter, we have received national recognition for our work. I want to make it very clear that “we” cannot even turn our lights on without “you.” On behalf of our team, Littles, and their families, please accept our deepest gratitude.
- Thank you for sharing your time with our agency
- Thank you for listening to our challenges
- Thank you for brainstorming ways to learn and grow
- Thank you for your encouragement
- Thank you for believing in our team
- Thank you for each and every donation to our agency
- Thank you for encouraging others to be generous with their time and resources
- Thank you for believing our kids are worth it, because they are more than worth it
CHEERS to toasting our past year and for welcoming our new year. We are confident that with you alongside us, it, too, will be worthy of celebration!
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Jackie S. Johnson
Executive Director
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Kara, Bobby, Kellen Emmer & Keagan have been matched for over 3.5 years! Kara, Bobby and Keagan have a blast when they are together! It is really hard to tell who has the most fun.
They love to try new things and go out to eat, watch movies. Golf is a new favorite of theirs and Keagan has taken it up on his own too!
Keagan’s mom loves how much fun they have together and how positive Kara and Bobby have been for Keagan. Their friendship just seems to get better and better!
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Todd Ostby and Genuine are!
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SPORTS BUDDIES GAME NIGHT!
The structure of the evening was very loose, mainly a time for the matches to reconnect and just hangout for a while! The matches played basketball, football, and bean bags. The matches went head to head in these sports and learned new rules and different styles of play to make it more fun!
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SPORTS BUDDIES FLOOR HOCKEY!
A Big thanks to the Sauk Rapids - Rice Storm Hockey team and Coach Brady DeGagne for hosting a floor hockey activity for us. The team taught our matches and waiting Littles some game play skills. Fun was had by all! If your sports team/club would like to host a similar activity for our matches please reach out to our Sports Buddies Program Coordinator, Jasmine Jensen at Jasmine@BigDefenders.org.
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SARTELL FUN IN THE PARK
Everyone played kickball, cornhole, and did relay races! A BIG thank you goes to Federated Insurance for inviting the Minnesota United mascot, PK, come hang out! PK even played kickball with everyone. We heard a lot of good comments about the activity and how fun it was!
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BIG CELEBRATION!
In June we had our Big Celebration to present awards to our Bigs and Littles of the Year.
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Big Sister of the Year Jill Oldakowski with her Little
Sister Savana
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Little Sister of the Year Harlow |
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High School Big Sister of the Year Kayla Braun |
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Big Brother of the Year John Hoffman with his Little Brother Kaiden |
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Little Brother of the Year Nick with his Big Brother Kelly Simondet |
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High School Big Brother of the Year Bryce Sweeter with Little Brother Preston |
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Big Duo of the Year Brittney & Alex Schoephoerster and Christian |
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CONGRATULATIONS TO BRITTANY BOLTJES OUR 2022 BRIANNA KRUZEL GROWING UP BIG AWARD RECIPIENT |
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Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota established the BriAnna Kruzel Growing Up Big Award to honor BriAnna Kruzel, a former Little Sister and High School Big Sister, who passed away unexpectedly in September 2013. Each year, a deserving participant (a former Little or High School Big) who demonstrates service to the community, character, and integrity is selected to receive this award.
Brittany began as a Little Sister in our program. As soon as she was old enough, she decided to become a High School Big Sister. Brittany’s experience as a mentor helped influence her towards a career in social work. Brittany says, “as a social worker, it is my ethical duty to serve and better my community through community service".
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Tami Kruzel (right) presents Brittany
Boltjes (left) with 2022 BriAnna Kruzel
Growing Up Big Award.
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2022 BRIANNA KRUZEL MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT
We are proud to announce the recipient of the WWBD (What Would BriAnna Do) Memorial Scholarship, which is available to any current or past Little or High School Big, Wyatt Harris.
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CONGRATS TO OUR 2022 FEDERATED CHALLENGE SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS!
We are proud to announce the recipients of the Federated Challenge Scholarship, which is exclusively available to youth involved with the program.
The Federated Challenge Scholarship, made possible by Federated Insurance and the Federated Challenge, awards eligible Big Brothers Big Sisters’ program participants who plan to continue their education in a non-four year post-secondary program at an accredited Minnesota school that is focused on apprenticeship, certificate, trade school, technical, or community college. The recipients of the Federated Challenge Scholarship are:
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Mathias Lechner, a graduate of Pine River - Backus HS, will be attending St. Cloud Technical & Community College for Electrical Construction
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Brookelyn Beack, a graduate of Foley HS, will continue her studies St. Cloud Technical & Community College for Sonography |
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Kaylee Becker, a graduate
of Pierz Healy HS, will continue her studies at Central Lakes College for Accounting
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McKenna Gross, a graduate of Foley HS, will continue her studies at St. Cloud Technical & Community College for
Dental Assisting
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Kaitlend Dien, a graduate of Sauk Rapids HS, will be attending St. Cloud Technical & Community College for an Associate in Arts Degree |
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Olivia Binsfeld, a graduate of Sartell HS, will continue her studies at Hennepin Technical College for Emergency Medical Services |
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Trista Thell, a graduate of Foley HS, will continue her studies at St. Cloud Technical & Community College for Accounting |
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Hanna Borkenhagen a graduate of Foley HS, will be attending St. Cloud Technical & Community College for Nursing
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Lainey Priglmeier, a graduate of Foley HS,
will continue her studies at Central Lakes College for an Associate in Arts Degree
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Bryce Sweeter, a graduate of Foley HS, will be attending Rochester Community & Technical College for Radiography
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Eric Symanietz, a graduate of MTS MN Connections Academy, will continue his studies at St. Cloud
Technical & Community College for Network Administration
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Elmer Snavely, a graduate of Sauk Rapids HS, will be attending Lake Superior College for Electrical Technologies |
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Kailey Sindt, a graduate of Sartell HS, will be attending St. Cloud Technical & Community College for an Associate in Arts Degree
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Nick Jackson, a graduate of Cathedral HS, will be attending St. Cloud Technical & Community College for Electrical Construction
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Derek Kotzer, a graduate of Foley HS, will continue his studies at Alexandria Technical & Community College for Law Enforcement |
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Jackie Johnson, Big Brothers Big Sisters Executive Director states, “It is an honor for Big Brothers Big Sisters to partner with Federated Insurance and the Federated Challenge for Kids, whose generosity and philanthropy help us impact the lives of young people and build the future of our communities. This year, we were able to award $40,400 in Federated Challenge scholarships.” |
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BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF CENTRAL MINNESOTA PROUDLY RECEIVES THREE NATIONAL AWARDS
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota has been recognized as a Big Brothers Big Sisters of America Gold Standard Award Winner. The Gold Standard Award recognizes agencies that have increased their revenue and grown the number of mentors (“Bigs”) and youth (“Littles”) who are matched through the program. In the past year, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota has grown its local services by 7% percent. Out of approximately 230 agencies across the country, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota is one of 12 organizations to receive this top honor.
In addition, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota also won national awards for Board of the Year and a Biggie Award for our annual report (which you can view here).
We are grateful for our wonderful team, incredible board, dedicated volunteers, generous donors, and community support. Thank you for standing with us to defend potential! We are Bigger Together!
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Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota’s Executive Director Jackie Johnson accepts the Board of the Year Award from Artis Stevens, President & CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. |
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BBBS OF CENTRAL MINNESOTA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR HAS BIG YEAR!
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We are proud to share that our Executive Director, Jackie Scholl Johnson, is having a Big year. Jackie has always been passionate about kids and her community. Starting from her babysitting days at age 11 to her becoming Executive Director of BBBS of Central Minnesota.
This year has been a testament to that passion. In February, she became a Big and in May, she was awarded Sauk Rapids Citizen of the Year. In June, our BBBS agency won 3 national awards due to her leadership. She also closed out her year serving as Rotary of St. Cloud president.
Thank you, Jackie for your passion for our kids and our community!
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Jackie Johnson, as Grand Marshal of the Rapids Days Parade, pictured with her husband, Kevin Johnson. |
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Jackie Johnson as outgoing Rotary Club of St. Cloud president pictured with incoming president Leigh Ann Davis. |
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Jackie with her Little Sister Alexis |
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Are you a current Big? Do you stand with youth? Let everyone know! Go to your Facebook profile and click to change your profile pic. Then click on frames, search BBBS of Central MN and add it to your profile pic! |
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THANK YOU, BERM BENDERS RACEWAY!
This month’s Partner Spotlight goes to Berm Benders Raceway. For the last six years this incredible business has supported the MM62 Memorial Benefit with proceeds going to BBBS of Central MN. This year’s event raised $17,358!
Organizers for the event include former AMA Pro rider #975, Jake Loberg, his family and friends, Berm Benders staff and many volunteers and sponsors. Jake was mentored by Mike Moores who was active with BBBS until his passing in 2016. The motocross fundraising event is held in Mike’s honor each year to celebrate his love of the sport and his belief in helping a child reach their full potential. Thank you Berm Benders Raceway, you are in the business of doing BIG things!
We are grateful to all our Community Partners. Check out this list and the next time you are at that business or organization, please thank them for standing with kids!
If you are interested in serving on an event or sponsorship committee or have questions about it contact Emily Steinmetz at 320-258-4515 or Emily@BigDefenders.org
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Jake Loberg, with his daughter and niece, posing with Mike Moores bike. |
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Khaldoun Ahmad, Jenna Binsfeld, Peggy Brown (DEI Officer), Debbie Clausen, Kevin Fitzpatrick,
Patty Funk (Secretary), Jeff Gannon, Isaih Handy, Lee Hurd, Courtney Kunkel (Treasurer),
Bill Martin-Chaffee, Lori Mohs, Emmanuel Oppong, Curran Poganski, Marie Primus, Luke Riordan,
Rick Roehl (Vice Pres.), Alex Schoephoerster (President), Christie Schulte, and Vicky Welty (Past Pres.).
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Barb Anderson, Mimi Bitzan, Mark Coborn, Joe Francis, Brad Goskowicz, Keith Julson,
Shelly Bauerly Kopel, Gary Marsden, Vince Mohs, Karla Myres, Steve Sauer, Kurt Scepaniak,
Chris Schellinger, Joyce Schlough, John Schnettler, Rob Schumann, Peter Spaniol, Eric Stalboerger, Perian Stavrum, Mark Traut, Joan Vincent, Don Watkins, Sue Wendt and Mike Ziemann
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