The National Football League isn’t the only organization to hold a draft.
Big Brothers Big Sisters Wisconsin Shoreline’s “The Big Draft” campaign saw a surge in interest in its first year, with more than 50 individuals stepping up to volunteer as mentors.
“We are thrilled to see so many individuals step up and take the chance to be a game changer for young people in our communities,” said BBBS Wisconsin Shoreline CEO Denise Wittstock. “The success of The Big Draft campaign means that we can continue to bring the need for mentorship to the forefront of community conversations. We still have more than 150 young people waiting, so the conversations must go on.”
Held at the Stefanie H. Weill Center for Performing Arts in Sheboygan, the draft party April 22 welcomed Bigs and Littles of all ages to celebrate mentorship as well as honorary “Big Draft Commissioner” Louie Gentine, CEO of Sargento Foods. Sargento was recognized as the 2023 Corporate Partner of the Year for its long-standing and unwavering support of its mission.
“At Sargento, we understand the importance of friendship, mentorship and setting a positive example,” said Gentine. “We’re honored to receive this recognition from an organization that is helping children in our community in a real way.”
The “Big Draft Party” also recognized five youth graduating from local high schools and almost 100 mentors who have reached a milestone in their service, from 5 years to 30 years.
Bigs reaching significant milestones included Dione Knop and Leon LeClair, both reaching 30 years of service; Charlotte Liddicoat, who has been mentoring youth for 25 years; Eric Edson, Lisa Lehmann, and Tom Wagner who have mentored Littles for 20 years. Liddicoat and Lehmann were also recognized for reaching a 10-year milestone with their Littles, Savannah and Kiara.
Earlier in the year, the agency teamed up with NFL Pro Football Hall of Famer LeRoy Butler and the NFL Inspire Change initiative to empower men in the community to join the team and mentor youth. Details of the campaign can be found at bigdraftwi.org.
