Art Show

Big Brothers Big Sisters was happy to host an art show on July 11th for one of our former littles, Marquis, and one of his friends, Michael. The night was a great time for Marquis and Michael to show off their art and make some money for college. Interested parties and matches alike turned out to support and shop! 

Michael and Marquis are both graduates of the Alabama School of Fine Arts and are both continuing their study of Art in college. Marquis will be going on to study at the Watkins College of Art, Design & Film. Michael will be going on to Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science & Art. We wish them both the best of luck and make sure to come back and visit us! We can't wait to say "We knew them when..."!

July Big of the Month

Julie Killpack is our featured Big of the Month! Julie and Khrysten have been matched since 2009 and have only grown closer over the years they have been matched. Julie has become a reliable figure in Khrysten's life and they have both enjoyed becoming members of each other's families. Julie and Khrysten particpated in a 12-week program put on by Hand-in-Paw and BBBS that included group therapy sessions with dogs to help children work on communication, school, diversity, and other topics. Julie says Khrysten has become much more than a little sister, she is now a "good friend."  

BBBS Night at the Barons

We are very excited about an upcoming event on July 19th! That night we will be having Big Brothers Big Sisters Night at the Barons! This is a special match activity where we have been given 50 free tickets to the Barons game. Not only do we have free tickets but our very own Big Brother of the Year, Phillip Howard, and his Little Brother, Cordae, will be throwing out the first pitch! 

That night the Barons are also having a special night where the first 1500 kids get a free jersey and of course it is also Friday Night Fireworks! 

It is going to be a great night to be at the Barons and supporting our kids and what we do. We are also excited to have an information table that night and look forward to bringing awareness to our mission. If you are a Big and are interested in bringing your Little to the BBBS Night at the Barons- call the BBBS Office at 939-5590! 

You're Invited... Art Show

We are so excited about an event we have coming up next week on July 11th! One of our former Littles, Marquis, and two of his friends that he graduated with from Alabama School of Fine Arts will be having an art show here at the BBBS Office.

Marquis, Omari, and Michael are three extremely talented artists. Each of them will be continuing their study of art at college. We're excited to see what all they bring for this show. Please share this information, tell you friends, and come! You don't want to miss out on this!

July 11th, 5-8 p.m.

BBBS Office

1901 14th Avenue South

School Supply Drive

Help us send our Littles back to school prepared! 

Many kids go back to school every year with no school supplies- help us change that for our Littles. 

We need…

#2 Pencils  

Red, Black, and Blue Pens

Five Subject Notebooks  

Markers

Standard loose leaf paper  

Binders

Crayons  

3 Ring Binders (1 & 2 in.)

Glue 

Erasers

Scissors  

Hand Sanitizers

Rulers  

Pocket Folders with brads

Tissues  

Clear Backpacks

Paper Towels

If you would like to get involved, call Jessica Whatley at the BBBS Office at 939-5590 or just bring items to our office. 

1901 14th Avenue South

Birmingham, AL 35205

All items needed by August 1st! 

Camp Hargis 2013

Another year of Camp for our Littles is in the books! June 4th through 6th we headed down Highway 280 out of the city and into the country to Camp Hargis in Chelsea, Alabama. It was the perfect place for 42 Littles to experience camp, the outdoors, and so much more. 

We loaded the bus up Tuesday morning and went on our way to Camp 2013. Once we were there it was non-stop until we returned home Thursday at lunch. It was three days full of games, swimming, canoeing, hiking, movies, eating, arts & crafts, and a little bit of sleep thrown in the mix. 

Camp began Tuesday with unpacking and a discussion about the rules before they headed in for their first meal. From then on, the day was full with swimming, a scavenger hunt, and canoeing all before dinner! After dinner, everyone settled in for a movie night. 

Wednesday, the rain put a damper on the schedule but didn't hinder the amount of fun had at all! We were still able to take a morning hike, play field games, have a drawing contest, play board games, and go canoeing before it was time to eat our last dinner at Camp. The rain canceled the Bonfire but there was still plenty of fun to be had. Some of the kids stayed and played games in their rooms while another group headed to the Group Room for a dance party with glow sticks. 

Thursday it was time to head back to Birmingham. Everyone was tired and ready to be reunited with families, but had a great time at Camp experiencing new things and making new friends. The trip to Camp Hargis was made possible by the fundraising efforts of the BBBS Young Advisory Board. BBBS wants to thank our amazing YAB for all their hard work!

Bigs Only

On May 28th, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Birmingham hosted it's first "Bigs Only" Event. The event provided a wonderful chance for Bigs to hang out, discuss issues, and get to know each other better. It took place at the Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest and all had a great time. The Bigs were able to talk and enjoy pizza and drinks. Liz with Hand in Paw spoke to the Bigs regarding Hand in Paw services and about bullying. We partner with Hand in Paw for their "No More Bullies" program. This program helps Littles understand how to deal with bullying and helps Bigs know how to help their Little handle bullying.

Two of our Bigs talking over pizza. 

Liz, from Hand in Paw, speaking to the group. 

Stay on the lookout for the 2nd Bigs Only event later this year!