Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) will be expanding their services in the Peminba Valley to include students at Carman Collegiate.

"It was initiated by the schools in Carman. They had heard of the programs and were very interested in them and the benefits they would bring to their student," says Michael Penner, Executive Director.

Talks of bringing the programs into Carman started sometime around Nov. 2018, so Carman Collegiate and BBBS are exited to partner together for this next step.

"We going to start off smaller offering in-school mentoring programs and group mentoring like 'Go Girls!' and 'Game On' for example," he says.

Some of the funding came from the Carman Area Foundation, as well as the annual Bowl For Kids event in Winkler which raised $29,000. Although funds are helpful to kick-start the program, they will need support in other ways to make sure it is successful.

Penner says, "mentors would be a big need. We have one mentor signed up, and screened, and ready to go. She is one of the staff at the school and so were working together with her to start everything."

They need a few more people to help them get started, and he notes it is especially helpful if locals get involved.

"They know the culture of the school, the culture of the community, and so they know how to work best within that . . . There's a need in Carman and they asked us to help them fill that need, and so we're always open to doing that sort of thing. Finding the needs and filling them as best we can with what we have."