Mentor Me-North Georgia Turns 10
Mentor Me-North Georgia celebrates its "Magic Moments 10th Anniversary Breakfast" Tuesday.
For nearly 10 years Mentor Me-North Georgia has been serving Forsyth County, and in that time more than 500 children have been mentored.
To celebrate this milestone, the organization will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a breakfast on Tuesday, Jan. 10 from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. at Lanier Technical College, Forsyth Conference Center in Cumming.
"We are very excited to mark our 10th year serving the children of Forsyth and North Georgia counties. Over the years, our programs have grown to keep pace with the needs of our communities," said Sylvia Cardona, executive director of Mentor Me-North Georgia.
During the event a Mentor of the Year and Donor of the Year will be honored, according to Kristin Dhabliwala, case manager with Mentor Me.
Attendees will also be treated to a poem reading by three youngsters enrolled in the program. A parent will speak on behalf of her two children who have been mentored and what that has meant to her daughters and family, and a teenager will speak about her involvement in the program.
"We have a 17-year-old youth who has been in our program for about five years who will be doing a testimonial on what having a mentor has meant to her all this time, how she got to where she is today and her plans for the future," said Dhabliwala.
The event coincides with January being proclaimed by President Barack Obama as National Mentoring Month.
Through the support of the community and help from hundreds of volunteers, children enrolled in the program have been able to get the positive reinforcement they need to make good choices and stay far away from drugs, delinquency and teen pregnancy.
"We want to pay tribute to those who have helped us over the years, contributed to the success of our programs and to those who volunteer their time and resources to aid our children," added Cardona.
Tickets for the "Magic Moments 10th Anniversary Breakfast" are $15 and can be purchased online.
Mentor Me, a United Way agency, established as a Leadership Forsyth Class Project in 2002. In 2008 the organization became Mentor Me-North Georgia.
debbi zagarella
10:34 am on Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Mentor Me is a fantastic program. I became involved when Big Brother/ Big Sister first opened in Forsyth County and I believe I was the 6th match with my little. We out grew the program, but I have to tell you how proud I am of my "little." She has had very little support in her life and she graduated high school a year early and was second in her class!! Besides that, she has held a job, bought her own car (financed) and now lives on her own and attending college. After ten years, she is part of my family and I can't be more proud! Love you CL!! Debbi Zagarella
Liz Kennedy
11:14 am on Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Hi Debbie, thank you so much for sharing your Mentor Me story - perhaps it will inspire others in our community to get involved with the organization. Way to go!