By Thia James

Big honours at Big Breakfast

May 22, 2013 | 12:27 PM

CKBI’s Don Mitchell was one of the big award recipients at the first-ever Big Breakfast Wednesday morning hosted by Big Brothers Big Sisters Prince Albert in the Ches Leach Lounge at the Art Hauser Centre.

Big Brother Adam Dyizak, Big Sister Stephanie Hamel, Businesses of the Year Northern Lights Casino and Conexus Credit Union and Service Club of the Year, The Prince Albert Optimist Club, were all honoured at the early morning event.

Mitchell received the volunteer of the year award for 2013 for his work to promote all of the group’s events, volunteering at the golf tournament as an emcee and “water boy.”

“Well, I was really surprised by it because I know there’s a lot of other people who volunteer and are Big Brothers Big Sisters and my role has been to do interviews, to support them that way and however we can through Rawlco Radio, that’s the key, so I was very surprised by it, but much appreciative of what they’ve done,” Mitchell said.

He said that without groups like Big Brothers Big Sisters, he’d hate to think of what would happen to young people.
“They’re there for the young people, they’re there to help, but they need the support of Big Brothers and Big Sisters and people to sign up to help, because I know sometimes there’s a waiting list and if we can’t get those young kids some mentors, then there’s going to be major problems.”

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Local musician Donny Parenteau performed with Mitchell and with one of the Littles in attendance. Parenteau was also the event’s guest speaker and emphasized the importance of communication. He asked the Bigs to ask the youths why they are more comfortable talking to each other via text rather than in face-to-face communication.

“So communication, we have to communicate a lot more…” Parenteau said.

“Bullying is also a big factor, that I see today. It’s a very serious issue,” Parenteau continued. “This is something else that should be addressed. And the only reason I’m telling you all of this today is because we need to pass this message down to the youth.”

He performed a new song about bullying that could soon be recorded and played in all schools around the province at the breakfast event.

And representing the City of Prince Albert in attendance was Coun. Don Cody, who said Big Brothers Big Sisters are important in the community, particular with the Littles who need mentoring.

“And that’s why we the City of Prince Albert believe that we should have a representative here. I’m here on behalf of Mayor [Greg] Dionne and I think it’s important. Big Brothers Big Sisters, you know, I can tell you right now, are very, very focal point in this community, and without them we’d have a lot of those youngsters who wouldn’t have that kind of opportunity to do the things that they do and grow up to be better people than they already are. I mean, you can’t say they aren’t good people today.

“But they certainly are growing up to be even better people and it’s all due to Big Brothers Big Sisters.”

The Big Breakfast is the kickoff event in the Big Brothers Big Sisters annual giving campaign, the Campaign 4 Kids. The campaign is aiming to raise about $25,000 to go to towards making mentoring matches of Bigs and Littles.

Each match costs $1,500 per year, and 18 Littles are currently on the waiting list to be matched.

tjames@panow.com

On Twitter: @thiajames