Mentor Me-North Georgia Turns 10

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 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.