Over these past years I have discovered just how much my friendship with my Little Buddy, Jay, has impacted our lives. We both can see the continuous growth of our friendship every week, and also see how much closer we are to achieving our goals and improving.
While the volunteer program may seem daunting at first, as it did for me, it is without a doubt worth it. Even now, I can recall on the first day just how enthusiastic everyone was. The first time we met we both smiled at each other and we could tell there would be good memories to be had.
Not a single minute is wasted with Jay and I in the program. Whether we’re playing outside or in the gym, laughing over a board game or drawing, or even just having a nice discussion while taking a stroll, we’re always enjoying ourselves.
The improvement in each other is extremely noticeable. For instance, one of our biggest goals was to get better at art, particularly drawing. And he and I can safely say we’ve done just that. For almost a year we’ve dedicated ourselves to improving, and we’re closer because of that, and truly understand another.
All in all, being a Teen Mentor to Jay for three consecutive years has been an amazing experience; for the both of us. I would not only highly recommend, but encourage anyone interested in making a difference to do so.