Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of McDonough and Warren Counties, under the umbrella of BBBS-Mississippi Valley in the Quad Cities recently celebrated its 25th anniversary serving youth in the region, and as part of the Oct. 8 anniversary event, a few local BBBS champions were recognized.
The initial $40,000 for the organization came from a grant, as well as the City of Macomb. Because the local organization was new, it had to be affiliated with an existing chapter, so the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mississippi Valley became the Macomb office’s parent organization. The local BBBS office was created in October 2000, and its first office, under the first director Tim Hallinan, was in Eisenhower Tower, before moving to Prairieview Homes. The organization has been under the leadership of Sarah Baca, who had first served as an AmeriCorps Volunteer for two years with the organization, since 2020 following the unexpected death of then-director Pete Tarantola.
At Wednesday’s open house celebration, the following businesses were recognized by Baca as Community Champions for their volunteerism and support over the years: Diggers College City Bowl for hosting Bowl for Kids Sake; Fortress Bank for allowing use of the bank lot for the annual BBBS Plant Sale, and the Macomb Elks for their longtime support of Bowl for Kids Sake.
Longtime “Big Sister” and Board member Paula Rhodes was honored with the Big Legacy Award. Rhodes is the local organization’s longest serving volunteer. She first became a “Big” in 2001, and has remained an active member since that time. Rhodes and her current “Little” Skylar – now a sophomore in high school – first matched when Skylar was in first grade.
“Being a part of this organization means so much to me and it has done so much for me,” Rhodes said after receiving the Legacy Award. “I hope that I can inspire more people to be a friend to a young person who needs someone to support and empower them. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.”
