During the holidays, we welcomed over 100 matches to our BIG Holiday Extravaganza, which took place in Downtown Sacramento at the Hyatt Regency. The extravaganza celebrated our program success in 2019, gave our Little’s a chance to spend some extra time with their Big’s during the holidays, and the opportunity to recognize our volunteer mentors for their hard work and dedication driving the BBBS mission.
The celebration commenced with some good old-fashioned arts and crafts, with matches building scrumptious marshmallow snowmen and festive Santa beards that were conveniently slipped on and worn the rest of the evening!
Mr. and Mrs. Claus made a special appearance, along with baby Claus, some tasty candy canes, and most importantly, gifts for our much deserving Little’s in attendance! Before the Claus’ headed back to the North Pole, Big’s and Little’s had a chance to take a few photos with the entire Claus family. We especially appreciated our Big’s encouraging our Little’s to spread some extra holiday cheer when posing for the camera!
We could not end the evening without expressing gratitude to those who make our program possible: our volunteer mentors! Leading up to the BIG Holiday Extravaganza, our Little’s were able to nominate their mentor for the Big of the Year award by sharing their favorite mentoring moments. Although it was heartwarming to learn how each Big had added value to their Little’s life, our agency had to complete the difficult task of choosing one Big Brother and Big Sister to honor during the celebration.
The Big of the Year award went to Debbie, Big Sister to Alethea and Levi, who is matched with Little Brother, Timothy. Words can’t express how thankful we are to have such selfless, inspiring people like Debbie and Levi as mentors to our Little’s.
Even our amazing BBBS team (pictured below left) carved out some time to share a few jolly moments during the evening. Thanks to our dedicated team, the BIG Holiday Extravaganza was truly a night to remember for our matches. Board Members, Leeland Washington and Shellie Smallwood (pictured below right), were also in attendance and shared a few heartfelt words, inspiring matches to keep up the momentum moving into 2020!
Our holiday event proved to be an extraordinary celebration that not only welcomed the essence of the holiday spirit, it positioned our Big’s and Little’s to move into the new year happy, encouraged, and ready for another year of match success!
The BIG Holiday Extravaganza was made possible with the support of our trusted community partners – CFMA, Hyatt Regency Sacramento, Broadway Sacramento, Macy’s, and SAFE Credit Union. Thank you for your unwavering commitment igniting the power and promise of today’s youth!
View more BIG Holiday Extravaganza event pictures here.
On Friday, October 25, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Sacramento celebrated 55 years of service in the Greater Sacramento community. The 55th Anniversary Celebration, presented by Hughey Phillips LLP, welcomed over 400 supporters, partners and friends to the Elks Tower Event Center in downtown Sacramento to celebrate our profound impact in the Sacramento region.
The evening started with hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, and a live band – Music City Legends – serenading the room. Former Big Brothers Big Sisters Board President and longtime advocate Monica Woods, of ABC 10, guided our guests, as emcee, through the evening and Kelly Brothers, of Genovese Burford & Brothers, lead our live auction.
From left-to-right, top-to-bottom: Monica Woods; Kelly Brothers; Reese Scherber, BBBS CEO; and Sean Filippini, BBBS Board Chairman.
Reese, Scherber, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Sacramento Area, welcomed guests and paid tribute to Hughey Phillips LLP as our presenting sponsor, honorees, past board members in attendance, and the current Board of Directors. Former Big Brother of the Year and current Board Chairman, Sean Filippini of Downey Brand LLP, shared insight on recent success with the agency and goals for 2020.
One of our long-standing and most inspirational matches, Little Brother, Imari and Big Brother, James took to the stage to reveal how the organization has aided in their match development, sharing some heartfelt details about their relationship and how it’s grown over the years. Imari also revealed to guests how his Big Brother, James was with him when he learned of his mother’s passing. James’ presence and support proved invaluable as Imari grieved his mother’s loss.
From left-to-right, from top-to-bottom: Little Brother, Imari and Big Brother, James; Keynote speaker, Sabin Lomac; Melissa (mother of Alivia) and Little Sister, Alivia.
Our keynote speaker, Sabin Lomac, Co-Founder of Maine Cousins Lobster food trucks, took to the stage and shared his story of overcoming adversity as a troubled child to now operating over 20 Cousins Maine Lobster food trucks nationwide – crediting Big Brothers Big Sisters as the organization that changed the trajectory of his life and career. Towards the end of the program Little Sister, Alivia and Big Sister, Jennifer also took to the podium and shared their experiences being matched. Alivia made it very clear this was her first time doing any public speaking, and she loved it!
We would be remiss if the evening didn’t pay homage to Larrie and Diane Grenz and Pacific Coast Building Products, Inc. Larrie and Diane Grenz have been involved with our agency for over 50 years and have helped to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to advance our mission. Larrie was Chairman of the Board of Directors from 1971 to 1972 and from 1977 to 1978. Both Larrie and Diane have worked tirelessly over the years in support of BBBS and have helped the organization bloom beautifully, so it was fitting to recognize their extraordinary commitment for our 55th Anniversary Celebration.
Over the years, Pacific Coast Building Products, Inc., has proven themselves to be one of our most committed of supporters and our local agency wouldn’t be celebrating 55 years of service without their involvement! It was our pleasure to honor the leadership of David Lucchetti, Pacific Coast Building Products CEO, and their phenomenal employees unwavering commitment to BBBS!
From left-to-right, top-to-bottom: Larrie and Diane Grenz; David Luchetti; John Whitfield, BBBS Board Member; Scott Myers; Stephanie Madsen, BBBS Board Member; Reese Scherber, BBBS CEO; Todd Aquilina; Phil Cunningham; Charles Trainor; and Robert Rivinius.
During the dinner portion of the evening, our guests were treated with a first look at our new “BBBS Impact Commitment” video! A warm thank you to KJ2 Productions for capturing how we inspire hope for our youth in the Greater Sacramento region!
Thanks to generous supporters, sponsors and friends, the 55th Anniversary Celebration raised nearly $247,000! Our critical mission would not be possible without the help of our generous community.
The funds raised help ignite the potential of our youth, including the 150 Little’s waiting to be matched with a Big Brother or Big Sister!
The 55th Anniversary Celebration was made possible only with the support of our community. A warm thank you to our sponsors Hughey Phillips LLP; Wells Fargo Bank; KJ2 Productions; Quest Technology Management; Downey Brand LLP ; SAFE Credit Union; US Bank; Western Health Advantage; and Allstate Insurance.
View the BBBS 55th Annual Celebration photo gallery.
Through Nov. 17, join Macy’s Sacramento Downtown Commons and Broadway On Tour’s presentation of A Christmas Story, The Musical in supporting Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Sacramento Area this holiday season by donating gently used clothes or new, unwrapped toys.
The songwriting team behind the smash hit Tony Award®-winning musical Dear Evan Hansen and the Academy Award®-winning film “La La Land” brings the classic 1983 movie to hilarious life on stage! Nominated for three 2013 Tony Awards including Best Musical, The New York Times writes “I was dazzled. You’d have to have a Grinch-sized heart not to feel a smile spreading across your face.”
Broadway On Tour’s presentation will run from Nov. 8 to Nov. 17 with an on-site donation box for toy and clothing donations. Items can also be dropped off at Macy’s Sacramento Downtown Commons, on the 2nd floor at the My Stylist @Macy’s Office.
By Kelley Lyons, Development & Communications Specialist and Simona Sanders, Development & Outreach Manager
Because so many in our region care about the nonprofits that lift up the Sacramento region, generosity will be overflowing during this years Big Day of Giving on Thursday, May 2! The Sacramento Region Community Foundation’s Big Day of Giving is a once-annual 24-hour giving challenge designed to help over 600 local nonprofits raise funds to make a difference in the capital region. It’s the culmination of an entire year worth of community-building and collaboration, made possible by donors like you!
In 2018, caring people in our community raised over $5,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Sacramento Region on the Big Day of Giving and this year we’re certain that as a community we can not only reach, but exceed 2018’s figure. This year, we’re seeking to raise over $10,000 to aid in our mission to nurture children towards excellence and strengthen the Sacramento community! Our 2019 Big Day of Giving goal is aggressive, but we are certain it is not impossible.
Your donations will work to build and support one-on-one relationships for local underprivileged youth. Each one of our 103 children enrolled in our program that waits for their mentor has their own story about why they’re deserving, but too many are just becoming just names on our waiting list. Funding moves our efforts in not just serving the children in need, but also recruiting the volunteer mentors that make life-changing relationships possible.
A special thanks to the Carlsen Muir Family Foundation, who recently pledged to match up to $250,000 of every new dollar raised by our agency, until the close of 2020. This means any gifts received on May 2 will not only get us closer to meeting our Big Day of Giving $10,000 goal, but it will enable our organization to add additional staff, in turn, allowing us to reach more children in our community and expand our resources to recruit the volunteer mentors we need to become positive role models for the children we serve.
How can you help? Great question! Below are a few ways you can ensure Big Brothers and Big Sisters of the Greater Sacramento Region reach our goal for the Big Day of Giving:
You can donate to BBBS of the Greater Sacramento Area by visiting our BDOG page on Thursday, May 2, and making a gift with a credit or debit card. Donations as little as $15 make a big difference, and your gifts can help us win some of the $100,000 in prizes that are up for grabs! If you’d like, you can schedule your gift in advance of Big Day of Giving, just so you don’t forget!
Rally your networks to give during Big Day of Giving with a fundraising campaign! Click the “Create a Campaign” button on Big Brothers Big Sisters’ profile and build a personal campaign to encourage your friends to give, too. Share the link with your friends and family, so their gifts contribute to your campaign!
Let your networks know that you support our cause by sharing our posts on your social media accounts, or by creating and sharing a fundraising campaign. Be sure to add the #BDOG2019 and #BBBSGreaterSac to your posts and don’t forget to tag us, too. A good word from a donor like you is the most meaningful way for us to spread our mission!
Join us in our effort to meet our goal and raise $10,000 on the Big Day of Giving! Without donors like you, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Sacramento Area wouldn’t be able to have such a strong impact on the lives of Sacramento’s underprivileged youth. Learn more about how your donations will work to grow our communities.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to become a big brother or sister or how to enroll your little one contact us today!
Ready. Set. GIVE!
