January is National youth Mentoring Month
National Mentoring Month is the time each year when our nation officially puts a spotlight on the importance of mentors and the need for every child to have a caring adult in his or her life. When you serve as a mentor, you enrich your own life as much as you do the life of a child. Mentoring leads to new experiences, new connections, new insights and new satisfactions. Don't delay, Become a mentor today! (link to become a mentor section)
This year's theme is Expand Your Universe. Mentor a Child. 2009 marks the eighth year that the month of January has been the focus of national attention on the need for mentors as well as how each of us ' individuals, businesses, government agencies, schools, faith communities, and nonprofits ' can work together to increase the number of mentors and assure brighter futures for our young people.
If you are already a mentor, you know the value of what you are doing. If you are thinking about becoming a mentor maybe these statistics will help you make your decision. According to a recent report by America's Promise Alliance:
- 1/3 of teens and 20% of younger children lack quality relationships with their parents.
- Only 8% of young people ages 6 to 17 have a formal mentor.
- More than 40% of young people ages 8-21 say they want more adults in their lives to whom they can turn for help.
- Sound daunting? It doesn't have to be. The most important part of choosing to become a mentor is making the commitment. Commit to setting aside one hour a week to make a difference in a child's life. For many children your mere presence and support will have a lasting impact
- Think back to your own formative years. Who mentored you? If you were one of the lucky ones, your mentoring came from one or both of your parents. Or you may have had a teacher or coach who helped you see the possibilities. Maybe a neighbor took the time to talk to you when no one else would listen.
What is your passion? Do you love to read because a favorite relative gave you a really interesting book? Are you a gourmet cook because your mom used dinnertime to prepare a meal and teach life lessons? Are you a teacher because the person you most admired at 11 was your social studies instructor?
You can be the person who makes the difference. Saying just the right thing or setting a positive example at a crucial time in a child's life can be life changing. If you are already a mentor, thank you, thank you, thank you. Pass it on. Not only by continuing to mentor but also by inviting a friend, relative, neighbor or co-worker to join you in changing the world, one child at a time. If you haven't made a commitment to mentor this is the right time to do it.
Remember, mentoring changes lives. Yours and the children you mentor.
Kicking Bear is Kicking Beards in May
Kicking Bear is selling tickets for the chance to hunt longbeards with one of ten outdoor personalities May 1-3 in Missouri. Hosted by Treetop Outfitters and Tombstone Creek Outfitters, ten lucky hunters will hunt and participate in a variety of outdoor activities over the three day period while having their experience filmed for an upcoming episode of their celebrity partner's television show. Each hunt package includes meals and accommodations. Each of the ten winners will also receive a call package from Commando Hunting Products. All proceeds go to support Kicking Bear One-on One.
Tickets for this event are for sale for $20 each. The names of the ten winners will be drawn March 28, 2009 at the Kicking Bear banquet in Onalaska, WI. As a special bonus, with each ticket sold a $25 gift card for Nikon Sport Optics is included until the supply of those cards runs out. Tickets are available for sale through Commando Hunting Products (www.commandthewild.com), and One Source Outfitters (www.onesourceoutfitters.com).
Participating in this year's event are Kicking Bear's founder Ray Howell, Steve Puppe of Rocky Geared up TV, Kandi Kisky of Whitetail Freaks, Grand National Turkey Caller Scott Wilhelm, Heath Painter of Wild Eyes Production, Trevon Stoltzfus of Muzzy's Bad to the Bone, Grand National Calling Champion Chris Parrish, J.T. Harden of Hardcore Hunting TV, Tom King of Bighorn Outdoors TV, and Primos Double Bull Blind's Brooks Johnson.
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