On May 16th, our wonderful mentors were celebrated with a luncheon held in their honor at the Elementary/Jr.High library to let them know how much they are loved and appreciated. It is with heartfelt gratitude that I thank all of you for your time and committment to this invaluable program.

ALL children have promise, but not all have the same opportunities and support as others and/or don’t have the added benefit of being made to feel special. By spending time with these students, their lives have been enriched by your encouragement, compassion, and companionship. You each made a profound difference by simply being “you!” We are forever grateful to our mentors for helping change lives and making a positive impact on our community.

A special thank you to Barbara Pluenneke for establishing this program years ago and developing it into such a success. Much appreciation goes to Shanda Schmidt, Elementary/Jr. High Counselor, for being such a great partner and collaborator. What a super year...we had a total of 48 mentors, 20 of which were new to the program!! We are so fortunate to have so many folks willing to volunteer their time and take on the role of being a mentor for a child in need. If you are interested in being a mentor for the upcoming school year or would like more information, call Lisa Heath at 258-4472 or Shanda Schmidt at 347-1122.