Stillwater residents can help match a child with an adult mentor just by signing up to bowl.

Big Brothers Big Sisters is hosting its annual Bowl for Kids’ Sake fundraiser, and the community is invited to participate by forming teams and raising money for the program. Those who participate will be rewarded with a bowling party in March, featuring two free games of bowling, T-shirts, prizes and more.

Big Brothers Big Sisters is a national organization that provides one-on-one mentoring to children between the ages of 6 and 18 by pairing them with a volunteer who serves as the Big Brother or Big Sister. Volunteer Bigs spend time with their Littles on a regular basis, providing support and friendship.

It costs about $500 to match a child, and an additional $500 to support that child for a year, said Area Director Adam Nicholas. The child, his parents and potential Bigs are screened to ensure that people who are matched together are compatible.

About 102 Stillwater children and 1,720 Oklahoma children are matched with Bigs. Nicholas said about 50 kids in Stillwater are waiting to be matched.

Big Sister of the Year Buffy Birchfield, an Oklahoma State University student, was matched with her Little Sister Julie about a year and a half ago. During Birchfield’s freshman year at OSU, one of her classmates in a public speaking course gave a speech about Big Brothers Big Sisters. After class, Birchfield asked her classmate for the address of the local office and started going through the application process to get involved.

“As soon as I met Julie, it was instant,” Birchfield said. “We liked the same things and disliked the same things.”

She and Julie, 11, both enjoy watching the Food Network, but dislike Emeril Lagasse, Birchfield said. One day they sat down together and looked through cookbooks for good recipes and both chose the same ones. They cook together and do many craft projects, like making angel wings that Julie wore to school or painting ceramics.

Birchfield said it is a blast having a little sister at school, and she enjoys a reprieve from the demands of course work to cut loose with Julie.

“It’s so cool to have someone to say, ‘Hey, you want to make s’mores on my gas stove?’ And she’ll say yeah even though it’s the middle of June,” Birchfield said.

They have picnics, go on nature walks, walk Birchfield’s dogs or whatever else they feel like doing when they get together about once a week, depending on their schedules. Birchfield spent six months working at Disney, and she said it was difficult being apart. She encouraged others to support the program.

“I think a lot of people should do it and a lot people hold themselves back because they don’t think they would be good at it,” she said. “But I don’t do anything special.”



Kick-Off Luncheon

• What: Informative meeting about Bowling for Kids’ Sake fundraiser, with pasta bar

• When: Noon, Feb. 10

• Where: Joseppi’s, 223 E. Hall of Fame

• RSVP: 624-9922 or adam.nicholas@bbbsok.org