INDIANAPOLIS — There are hundreds of boys waiting to be matched at Big Brother Big Sisters of Central Indiana.
That's why the organization is asking for more men to step up.
According to the group, there are more than 1,000 kids waiting to be paired with a mentor "big" of their own. Most of them are boys. On average, boys wait more than a year for a mentor.
Pierce Axton was one of the lucky ones. He and his big, Rashaun Roper, have spent the last several months getting to know each other. Their relationship has blossomed and his mom, Jalesa Lee, is grateful for Roper’s mentorship because Axton is the oldest of her three children.
Roper said he always wanted a little brother and Axton always wanted a big brother.
"It’s a thing that I treasure," said Axton.
They spend time going out to eat, going to Pacers games and having life conversations with things get tough.
“Just hearing some of his thoughts and feelings that he's going through throughout his life, it just helps me be appreciative of where I am," said Roper. “They need that mentor, they need that positive influence.
"It's a bigger blessing than what I could have imagined," said Lee. "To have a mentor to show kids other opportunities or experiences that they may not have realized was available to them."
That’s why the Indianapolis Indians, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Indiana Sports Corp are launching the "Rally for MENtors: 300 Men in 3 Months" volunteer recruitment campaign. The goal is to recruit 300 men to become mentors by June 30.
For more information about volunteering, click here.