The Central Aroostook Mentoring Program (CAMP), a program of Helping Hands for Children and Families, will join the hundreds of other mentoring programs in the United States by observing January as National Mentoring Month. CAMP has been serving the children in central Aroostook County for five years, offering volunteer mentors for children referred to the program by social service agencies, caseworkers, counselors, schools, physicians, parents, and grandparents.
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January is National Mentoring Month and the Central Aroostook Mentoring Program (CAMP), a program of Helping Hands for Children and Families, will join the hundreds of other mentoring programs in the United States by celebrating with an adult benefit dance at the Northeastland Hotel Friday, Jan. 25 (snow date Saturday, Jan. 26) from 7-11 p.m. The theme will be “Elvis is in the House,” with Sound Friendships providing 50s-60s live music. Tickets will be a minimum donation of $10 per person and are available at several local businesses.
National Mentoring Month (NMM) highlights mentoring and the positive impact it can have on young people’s lives. Spearheaded by the Harvard Mentoring Project, MENTOR, and the Corporation for National and Community Service, the first NMM was held January 2002. This month-long observance focuses national attention on the need for mentors, as well as how each of us – individuals, businesses, government agencies, schools, faith communities and non-profits – can work together to increase the number of mentors and assure brighter futures for our young people.
Jan. 24, 2008 will mark the fifth annual “Thank Your Mentor Day™,” which many mentoring programs select as a day to recognize their volunteers. Too many young people do not have a caring adult mentor to provide needed encouragement and support. Mentoring programs like CAMP can provide the link to this support, but programs need volunteers to close the gap. Presently, there are 180 mentees enrolled in CAMP, with only 39 having mentors in community-based and school-based matches.
We ask you to think of the mentors in your life – a team coach, teacher, concerned neighbor, or another caring adult – and take a few minutes to thank them and then consider becoming a mentor yourself. CAMP needs you to help by volunteering to spend only 3-5 hours a week with a child 7 to 18 years of age. Matches are made by similar interest activities and parent/mentee/mentor preferences.
Organizations can have a tremendous impact on young lives by sponsoring mentoring programs. For instance, your employer can partner with CAMP to recruit employees to mentor students. A workplace-based mentoring program not only benefits the kids, but your co-workers, as well.
“If other companies are considering starting mentoring programs, I would simply say, ‘Just do it,’” said James S. Turley, chairman of Ernst & Young LLP. “The benefit to the community is great, and very importantly, the benefit to your own people is just as great.”
Workplace-mentoring programs can create employee loyalty, increase productivity, and build stronger ties between your organization and the community where you work. Your organization can also support mentoring throughout 2008 by sponsoring a mentoring event or making a donation to CAMP.
As part of their celebration of National Mentoring Month, CAMP and the Bridges/Transitions Program will be sponsoring an adult benefit dance at the Northeastland Hotel Friday, Jan. 25 (snow date Saturday, Jan. 26) from 7-11 p.m. The theme will be “Elvis is in the House,” with Sound Friendships providing 50s-60s live music.
Tickets will be a minimum donation of $10 per person and are now available at the County Federal Credit Union in Presque Isle, Caribou, and Fort Fairfield; Caribou One Stop, Katahdin Trust in Fort Fairfield and at the Helping Hands Office at 34 North St., Suite 3. CAMP advisory council members and mentors will also have tickets for sale, or by calling 764-4005.
