Contributed by Amy Lalor
2nd Annual Dream Big 5K
10/7/2018 – 1PM
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Alaska
Downtown Palmer Pavilion
S Valley Way, Palmer
Tickets: $10 Youth (Ages 0-18), $20 Adults
Nothing changes the human spirit like the human relationship. Studies show that the presence of ONE positive person can help a child discover their full potential and ultimately succeed in life.
At this year’s Alaska Prevention Summit, held recently in Palmer, the power of building positive, healthy, mentoring relationships between adults and youth was a theme. Leaders from local and state organizations, as well as local, state and federal government officials, gathered here in the Mat-Su to discuss primary prevention. Many of the speakers touched on the topic of youth having positive role models and mentors as a key factor in fostering a healthy, resilient community. Dr. Jerome Adams, the U.S. Surgeon General, touched on mentoring as a way for older Alaskans to be active in the community by sharing their wisdom with new generations of Alaskans.
As Alaskans, we have the unique ability to adapt to change and work together for creative solutions, and this is especially true here in the Mat-Su! As our community continues to grow and face new challenges, connecting with each other by building bridges between generations of Alaskans continues to strengthen the sense of community that we all as Valley residents pride ourselves on.
Volunteering as a mentor and supporting mentoring programs in our community such as Big Brother Big Sisters of Alaska can have long-lasting positive effects that ripple throughout our entire community.
At Big Brothers Big Sisters of Alaska, youth (Littles) are matched with carefully-screened mentors (Bigs). These professionally-supported matches meet 2-4 times per month in the community-based program, doing free or low-cost activities in the community that they both enjoy. This can be anything from playing board games, doing homework, baking or doing a craft to hiking, biking, sports, 4-wheeling, snow machining, fishing and more.
In the school-based program, matches meet once a week during the school day at select MSBSD schools spending time together working on classwork, crafts, puzzles and games. High School students can also volunteer to mentor younger students in this program.
There are currently over 30 matches here in the Mat-Su, and many more waiting to be made. It costs about $2,500 to make and professionally support a match for a year, and community support is the greatest source of funding to make and support new matches throughout the year.
This year, the 2nd Annual Dream Big 5K fundraiser will be on Sunday, October 7th at 1:00 PM, starting and ending at the Downtown Palmer Pavilion. This fun run/walk supports Big Brothers Big Sisters of Alaska’s local programs right here in the Mat-Su!
Costumes are once again encouraged. The timed 5K will also include a free pizza party for participants and medals will be awarded to the top three finishers for men and women in the youth, adult and senior categories. Participation ribbons will be given to all finishers.
This fun run/walk is not only a fundraiser, but also an opportunity for all of us as community members to role model healthy choices for the youth in our lives by getting out, staying active and having fun together as a community! Volunteering as a Big Brother or Big Sister is a big commitment, but participating in the Dream Big 5K is a simple way to get involved and to help make those connections that continue to strengthen our community.
Register at www.RunSignup.com. Early bird registration, $20 for adults and $10 for youth (18 & under), is open until September 7th (Registration fees increase by $5 on September 8th).
For more information about volunteering as a Big or participating in the Dream Big 5K, contact the Mat-Su office at (907) 376-4617.
