“It was a wonderful opportunity to participate in a young person’s life and see the world through his eyes.”
One of Tim Kushneryk’s favourite mentoring memories was visiting a local university campus with his Little Brother Preston. “We were just wandering around, and we saw some science students who were doing some experiments with lasers. We were both fascinated!”
A proud Winnipegger, Tim first started volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters when he moved to Vancouver about 15 years ago for work. He credits his family with instilling in him the importance of community involvement. “I had a couple of hours free every week, so I thought I would try to give back with my time.”
Tim and Preston were matched for five years, starting when Preston was 8 years old, and there were always new and exciting discoveries during their weekly outings. Their activities included visiting museums and sporting events, building snowmen, and playing video games. Over 10 years later, they remain in touch while Preston attends university in the UK. “It was wonderful to participate in a young person’s life and see the world through his eyes.”
As a donor, Tim recognizes that it takes more than just volunteer time to support youth through Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring. “It was an eye-opener to realize all the work that goes into making a mentoring match and the supports that are needed, especially for kids who come from marginalized families. If anyone wants to help this wonderful organization and can do so financially, I’d say do it.”