Jaime and I are participating in the Bowl for Kids' Sake fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Triangle (BBBST) this year. As many of you know, I've been a Big Brother for 3+ years now, and it has been a truly rewarding experience.

My own big brother, Mark, was always extremely supportive of my volunteering. I loved filling him in on what my Little and I were up to, and he always talked about how happy he was to see me giving back to the community. Hence our team name StrykeForce (pretty good bowling pun, too!) and our participation in his honor.

The money from this fundraising event will go directly towards supporting the local Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill chapter of Big Brother Big Sister. Why is this important?

Last year, 23% of the children in the program had a parent in prison, 75% of the children came from a single parent home and 75% of the children were on free or reduced lunch. Mentors work individually with children to overcome these challenges by actively promoting self-sufficiency and academic achievement.

In spite of these major risk factors, the impact of BBBST’s mentoring program is remarkable.  Littles with a Big Brother or Big Sister are 46% less likely to start using drugs,  52% less likely to skip school,  27% less likely to engage in underage drinking  and 33% less likely to resolve conflict using violence.

I'm proud to support this movement, which believes that all kids have value and the ability to succeed, regardless of their circumstances. Thank you for donating any amount to this great cause.