Stories: Featured Stories

Through their Team-Up Community Outreach Program, Simon Fraser University’s Clan football team has been involved with a number of charities in order to give back to the community that supports them.+ More

Hear about Tabitha's journey and her experience as a mother with the Big Brothers Program. It has been three years later, and Tabitha couldn’t have been happier with her decision to find her son a Big Brother.   + More
Tags: Featured Stories, Fundraising
Big and Little Brothers were challenged to create a delicious drink for Take Five Café. The winning drink, The Vanilla Explosion, is featured in all Greater Vancouver Take Five Cafés for the month of December, with proceeds benefiting Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver. + More
We recently spoke with one of our amazing In-School Mentors and asked her a few questions about her experience as a Big Buddy. Lisa is excited to be in her fourth year as an In-School Mentor at Stawamus Elementary. + More

Former Little Brother Jack Harris, who recently reconnected as a member of the Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver Alumni Program, has a rich history and sense of involvement that has connections to the beginnings of the organization in the Vancouver area. + More

Last month was the first ever Big League event and it was a huge success! The Big League is a new program that has been developed for Big and Little matches to have a chance to engage with one another for a couple hours every month. Fun monthly activities are planned and organized by the Big League Committee made up of a number of Big Brothers. + More
On Saturday, September 22nd, Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver held our annual Big and Little Brother Picnic at Confederation Park in Burnaby. Despite the chilly weather and clouds in the sky, the turnout was great and almost 50 matches came out to take part in the fun and games. + More
We recently spoke with one of our amazing In-School Mentors and asked him a few questions about his experiences as a Big Buddy. Trevor is excited to be starting his fifth year as an In-School Mentor at Seymour Elementary this September. + More
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada is celebrating 100 years and they want to hear from you! To celebrate they are creating a commemorative book and are looking for stories from former and current volunteers. + More
The Annual Big Brothers Water Ski Day is just one of the many special events that our Big and Little Brothers get to
take part in throughout the year. + More

When Richie emigrated from China to Canada with his mother Nancy five years ago, he was entering a new world; one without the support of siblings, extended family or a father. Since then he's been matched with a Big Brother who introduced him to a variety of sports and other activities. + More

Mike Rickaby, Big Brothers Alumni Member, has been involved with Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver on many levels since becoming a Big Brother in 1983. + More

Last month I was asked to be a part of the Awards Night Committee and help choose The 2012 Frank Rigney Big of the Year Award. I gladly accepted.  Reading through the heartfelt letters from moms and Little Brothers was truly one of my most memorable moments here. The only hard part was choosing just one winner! + More

Through being a patient listener and an excellent mentor, Celina Bell has helped her Little Buddy come, slowly but surely, out of her shell. There’s also a chance Celina’s knack for baking had something to do with it. + More

Most of us lucky enough to have a father inevitably have a ‘bring your child to work day’ memory.  Shredding paper at the office or sitting in on budget presentations likely ring a bell for most.  For David Ticknor, such memories are consumed by getting caught in the bulk oil hoses at Mr. Lube locations and attending charity events. + More

In December of last year, I began working at Big Brothers as an Event Assistant, working on the bowling campaign. After a few months of the campaign and countless nights at bowling centers across the Lower Mainland, I have seen hundreds of people come out and bowl every week. + More

Helping young people make the transition from elementary school to high school has been an important and rewarding aspect to Jimmy Wong’s efforts as a volunteer for Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver. + More
On Saturday, November 19th, some 400 guests gathered at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver in black tie attire to celebrate local charities, including Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver. + More

Sunshine Coast resident Gary Van Horne, former Big Brother and current In-School Mentor, is now helping to start the Big Brothers Big Sisters Sunshine Coast Ambassadors Group.  Van Horne got involved with the children's charity just over 20 years ago when he signed up to become a Big Brother + More

Growing up, Brett lived with his mother and brother in North Vancouver. They did not have much.  In fact, they lived on welfare and in social housing.  Still, Brett recalls they were three musketeers and looks back on his childhood with a smile . + More

What many of us look for in a volunteer opportunity is a chance to really make a difference in the community.  While some prefer to make monetary donations, others prefer to donate time.  With the New Year having just rolled by, it seems that we are more eager than ever to get involved.

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Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver is encouraging everyone to pay it forward this New Year! With another year behind us and a new one waiting for us to explore, many people will be thinking about how to make this year better than the last. More than likely we’ll be making a new year’s resolution or two. So for this New Year, we challenge you to be a part of something BIG.

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At first glance, the two men across the coffee table from my co-worker and me could be business associates.  But if you pause for just the moment it takes to detect their bond,you know without doubt that these two are brothers.  . + More
Squamish resident Andrew Thom has been volunteering as a Big Brother since 1980.  Although he has moved to three different cities over the last thirty years, one thing remained consistent: his motivation to put something back into the community.  . + More

Sunshine Coast resident Dave Allen is the CEO of Just Business Magazine, a business magazine that celebrates the successes of local business people on the Sunshine Coast.  As the distribution and popularity of his magazine grows nationally, Allen took a moment to look back and talk to us about the people that helped him find his way on the path to success..

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Rebagliati says that he wouldn't have become the man that he is today without the help of a few key people in his life, who inspired him and gave him the confidence to reach for the stars.  Rebagliati sat down with Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver to talk about the importance of having a positive role model in your life. 

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COBS Bread is partnering with Big Brothers and Big Sisters once again to help promote volunteerism and to raise money for local Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies across Canada. Big Brother Jason and Little Brother Thorun were selected for the campaign's photoshoot.

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We are all familiar with the regular phone call from a friendly person from Big Brothers asking if we have clothing to donate. But do you really know how that clothing helps kids get Big Brothers?.

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As Television Media Sponsor for The 2010 Scotiabank Bowl for Big Brothers Classic the sixth year running, CTV annually produces a public service announcement (PSA) to help recruit companies to bowl and raise funds for Big Brothers.

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As a partner agency of Kids Up Front, we believe that working together makes the lives of the children we serve that much brighter.

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Rip Peterman joined the Big Brothers program at BBGV in 1979. Over the past 30 years, he has dedicated over 6,000 hours to mentoring. From 1979 to 2005, he was a mentor to six different Little Brothers who each benefited immensely from the friendship.

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Being a mentor to a child doesn’t have to be hard work. You don’t have to be a working professional at the peak of your career, a straight A student in university or college or come from a wealthy well-mannered family.  All you need is a good head on your shoulders, a thirst for having fun and a little bit of time each week to spend with a child who could benefit from a positive role model.

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North Vancouver resident Sherry Klassen skips out of work to go to school for one hour every week. During one recent school visit, she played on the spinning tornado until she was dizzy and hung upside down like a monkey from the monkey bars.

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Schools have a variety of great programs for children and local Principal, Nadine Tambellini of Central Elementary in Port Coquitlam, believes that the Big Brothers programs are definitely in the top ten.

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Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver is known for their mentoring programs benefiting children aged 7-12.  What is not commonly known is how often the program benefits the mothers of the children in them.  One such mother is Gini Guo.

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Jonathan Shively and his Little brother sylvan

Burnaby resident Jonathan Shively, 32, is studying neurobiology and biochemistry in medical school at the University of British Columbia. He grew up in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania as an only child and always wanted a brother to play golf or soccer with.

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Surrey resident Rick Johal works full time as a child-care supervisor. He is also working towards completing his Bachelor of Social Work. Johal just finished his second year of studies at Kwantlen College and will attend UBC in the fall.

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Dawson waited over two years to get a Big Brother. That's how long the average wait is for a boy in Surrey to get a Big Brother these days. But according to this fun-loving 12-year-old, it was definitely worth the wait.

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Once a week, twenty-five-year-old Coquitlam resident Sara Allen drops into an elementary school to hang out with a friend. On a recent visit they made Christmas ornaments, played basketball and practiced the latest hip hop dance moves in the gym.

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