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2025 BIG AUCTION STARTS FRIDAY!
The 2025 Big Auction is almost here! The online auction runs April 4-11 and features items from local vendors, handmade gift baskets and items, and gift certificates for experiences and locations around Minnesota. Register now to bid on these items - the site is live so you can see all the awesome items up for grabs! Back again this year are a week in Minnesota's Northwest Angle, a special bottle of Pappy Van Winkel, a weeklong RV or fish house rental, a pig roast for 130 people, tickets to pro sporting events, and more! Thank you to Granite Partners for sponsoring the 2025 Auction!
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April 2025
Hello Friend!
Does April give you spring fever like it gives me?
One of the first signs of spring in my world is spotting my chives peeking through the soil. They’re usually the first thing to pop up in my garden—and they remind me that fresh, new beginnings are on the way.
April is also National Volunteer Month, which means it’s time to celebrate the incredible people who make Big Brothers Big Sisters possible: our Bigs, board members, volunteers, and all-around champions for kids. If I could, I’d personally high-five each of you (and maybe throw in some confetti) because what you do is extraordinary. You show up. You mentor. You change lives—without expecting anything in return except maybe a heartfelt thank-you and the occasional Little who beats you at Uno.
While volunteers fuel our mission, ensuring Big Brothers Big Sisters is here forever requires something more: long-term financial sustainability. That’s where our "For Kids, Forever" Endowment Campaign comes in. Right now, we have a $7.8 million endowment, and our goal is $10 million by November.
Why? Because we don’t want to just hope BBBS will be here for the next generation of kids - we want to guarantee it. This endowment is our safety net, ensuring that no matter what happens: economic shifts, funding changes, BBBS will always be here for kids who need mentors.
Thankfully, we have two incredible people at the helm of this campaign—Eric and Lee Hurd. If you know them, you already know their hearts for kids and their unwavering commitment to giving back. They believe deeply in mentorship and the idea that every child deserves a champion not just today, but for generations to come. Eric and Lee aren’t just leading this campaign; they’re investing in it themselves because they know what we all know: When you change a child’s life, you change the future. They’ve stepped up in a big way, and now they’re inviting others to do the same.
If you believe in this mission (yes, that means YOU - thank you for that!), consider making an endowment gift. The best part? Every gift, large or small, adds to the legacy of mentorship. So, if you’re ready to be part of something bigger than all of us- something that ensures kids always have mentors, support, and a brighter future - let’s talk. Let’s make it happen. Call me, email me, or tap me on the shoulder next time you see me at the grocery store. I’m always up for a conversation about changing lives.
With gratitude and excitement for what’s ahead,
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Jackie S. Johnson
Executive Director
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MEET BRAD & DAMIN!
As a school superintendent, Brad Bergstrom has a major impact on a whole community of kids in their most formative years, and he could easily say that his job is his way of helping out the Sauk Rapids-Rice community – and rightfully so.
But that wasn’t enough for Brad, who signed up for Big Brothers Big Sisters in 2020 – in the midst of the COVID19 pandemic. Brad and Damin met for the first time on Zoom in November 2020. They both admit it wasn’t ideal: meeting someone online doesn't always lend itself to great first impressions, and Damin was shy, with little to say.
That quiet didn’t last long, and now, four years later, silence is not an issue when Brad and Damin get together – which is frequently. Trying new foods and new restaurants is their activity of choice, and they’re always in search of their new favorite meal.
Brad has helped Damin through some tough situations at school, and if Damin’s mom, Katie, ever needs help getting through to Damin or wants another adult to talk to him, she knows she can call on Brad to have those conversations – no matter how difficult. Over the course of their four-year match, those conversations over food and at school have led to a solid, trusting bond. Damin trusts Brad so much that he asked Brad to be the one to teach him to drive, and after consulting with Katie, Brad readily agreed.
In the last four years, Damin has become a part of Brad’s family, and he is often invited on trips to their cabin, or to their home for holiday dinners. That special relationship means that Brad has the same expectations for Damin as he does his own children, and often asks Damin about his future plans and goals. The duo toured the culinary program at St. Cloud Technical and Community College in the fall, and Brad was there to offer guidance, answer questions, and help Damin navigate thinking about the future.
“I have shared with Damin that like it or not, he is a part of our family,” Brad said. “I am the luckiest Big Brother in the world because I have Damin in my world. I can’t imagine him not being in my life now or moving forward.”
Watch Brad and Damin's video to learn more about their match!
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MEET ERICA & HARLOW!
When Erica Ramthun joined Big Brothers Big Sisters in 2017, she was hoping to have the opportunity to create a relationship with a child that would help them both grow into better people.
Harlow was nine when she and Erica first met in 2017, and still adjusting to a new home life, making friends, and trying new things. She was nervous, and slow to warm up to new people. Harlow’s grandma, Kim, remembers being nervous when they were first introduced to Erica, but she soon realized how important their relationship was – and how Erica was helping Harlow grow.
In their seven years as a match, Harlow has grown from a shy nine-year-old to a confident 16-year-old with a car and a part-time job, and Erica has been beside her every step of the way. She was there for Harlow during COVID when Harlow couldn’t see her friends and was trying to navigate school via Zoom. She helped Harlow gain the confidence to get back into swimming at her school and cheered her on at meets. Erica was also there to support Harlow as she signed up for three different weeks at the YMCA’s Camp Olson. Harlow didn’t know anyone else going to the camp, but came back with new friends and the confidence to sign up for a 10-day trip to Voyageur’s National Park in Summer 2025.
“School, church classes and church choir have enabled Harlow to make lasting friendships and memories from those building blocks of success with Erica starting seven years ago,” Kim said. “Even the small things Erica does like showing up on time, doing new activities, or just talking with Harlow has been amazing.”
Their relationship is so important to Erica that Harlow was a junior bridesmaid in Erica’s wedding in 2023, and Erica’s family and coworkers were finally able to meet the Little Sister that Erica talks about so often.
Watch Erica and Harlow's video to learn more about their match!
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THANK YOU OAK ISLAND RESORT!
This month’s Partner Spotlight goes to Oak Island Resort! For the second straight year, Alver Leighton at Oak Island Resort donated a week-long stay at the beautiful resort in Minnesota's Northwest Angle to our Big Auction. Spend a week in paradise right here in Minnesota in fishing heaven. You'll stay in a fully equipped cabin that sleeps six and have access to the Minnesotan and Canadian waters surrounding the resort. Thanks to Alver and Oak Island for supporting our auction again! The auction goes live Friday, April 4, so get ready to bid!
We are grateful to all our Community Partners. Check out these lists, and the next time you are at that business or organization, please thank them for standing with kids!
BBBS of Central Minnesota is always looking for businesses to host or sponsor match activities. If you or your business are willing to sponsor or host a match activity, contact Kristin Hannon at 320-258-4515 or Kristin@BigDefenders.org.
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HANDS ON WITH KRILLAN
Matches got to go behind the scenes at Krillan to see how screen-printed shirts - like all of our BBBS gear - is made! Thanks to Tron and the team at Krillan in Sartell, matches got a tour of the screen printing and embroidery business, and learned all about the screen printing process. They finished the tour off by helping to print their own BBBS T-shirts - in a design that no one else has! Big thanks to Tron for his support of this activity and for hosting our apparel stores each year!
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BONDING THROUGH SPORT
Matches had the chance to spend time together and also hang out with other Bigs and Littles in March at an open gym. Everyone started the evening doing their own thing or playing games in small groups, but eventually everyone came together for a game of lightning. It's always so fun to see Bigs and Littles bonding with each other and also getting to know other matches, and we love seeing everyone come together and cheer each other on!
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FUN AT SKATIN' PLACE
The neon lights of Skatin' Place set the backdrop for a fun evening for a large group of matches to wrap up the month of February! Bigs and Littles were able to skate, enjoy some fun music, and fill up on pizza together, and everyone had a great time. Thank you to the St. Cloud Morning Optimist Club for sponsoring this activity!
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BEERANTHROPY FOR BBBS
Join Pantown Brewing, ODB's Meat & Greet Food Truck, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota for an afternoon and evening of fun - and helping kids! From 3-10 p.m. on Wednesday, April 9, head to Pantown Brewing in St. Cloud to help raise money to support mentor/mentee matches. Pantown is donating 25 percent of all sales and 100 percent of tips to BBBS, and there will also be: games with prizes, 50/50 raffle, food from ODB's for purchase, live music, the chance to be the event DJ, and more! Contact Kristin Hannon for more information.
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BUY COFFEE, SUPPORT BBBS
Kinder Coffee and BBBS are teaming up to support local kids! With every purchase of a bag of special edition single-origin coffee, Kinder is donating $7 back to the agency to help recruit more mentors and support more kids. They offer light, medium and dark roast as well as decaf as whole bean or ground coffee. Each bag is $20, and you can subscribe to get bags sent to you at regular intervals so you never run out. Check out all of the options and details here. Thank you to Kinder for this partnership!
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A LEGACY OF POTENTIAL
For more than 55 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota has defended the potential of local kids by pairing them with volunteer mentors for support and guidance. With your help, the agency can continue to serve kids and grow its service area long into the future. Consider a planned gift towards the For Kids, Forever Endowment at BBBS of Central Minnesota. Through April 2025, the agency has secured $7.9 million in pledges towards its goal of $10 million. Help us reach our goal by the end of the year by including BBBS in your estate planning. Life insurance policies, retirement plans, wills and trusts, and stocks are all easy ways to ensure your legacy is one of support and mentorship. Visit the For Kids, Forever website, check out this video to see why the endowment is such a big deal or email Jackie@BigDefenders.org for more information.
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BE BIG IN THE 2024-25 SCHOOL YEAR!
Have you ever thought about being a Big? Do you know someone who would be a great Big? BBBS of Central Minnesota is looking for mentors to be a part of the both the Bigs on Campus initiative and at all six of our school-based locations. Bigs on Campus mentors meet with their mentees twice a month for an hour at a time at St. Cloud State, St. Cloud Technical & Community College, or College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University and help them get accustomed to life on a college campus. School-based matched meet once a week for 30 minutes at the Little's school in St. Cloud, Sartell, Sauk Rapids-Rice, Pierz, Holdingford, or Foley. Click here for more information or to become a Big!
| | Khaldoun Ahmad, Daine Billmark, Jenna Binsfeld, Patty Funk (Secretary), Melinda Gau, Isaih Handy, Lee Hurd, Preston Kopel, Jake Krippner, Courtney Kunkel (Treasurer), Bill Martin-Chaffee (DEI Officer), Lori Mohs, Mardi Noyes, Emmanuel Oppong, Chris Owen, Curran Poganski, Jason Primus, Rick Roehl (Vice Pres.), Alex Schoephoerster (President), and Christie Schulte. | | |
Barb Anderson, Mimi Bitzan, Mark Coborn, Joe Francis, Keith Julson, Lori Kloos, Andy Knoblauch,
Shelly Bauerly Kopel, John Mahowald, Mike Markman, Gary Marsden, Vince Mohs,
Kurt Scepaniak, Joyce Schlough, John Schnettler, Peter Spaniol, Eric Stalboerger, Perian Stavrum,
Mark Traut, Joan Vincent, Bob Walter, Don Watkins, and Vicky Welty.
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