Meet Our 2026 Bigs of the Year!
On June 23, Big Brothers Big Sisters celebrated its volunteers with the sports-themed 2026 Volunteer Recognition Dinner! Igniting the potential of youth and, in turn, making our communities a better place would not be possible without the dedication of these extraordinary people. The seven volunteers—who embraced their roles as mentors, role models, and friends with particular vigor—were announced as the Volunteers of the Year for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Indiana.
On Tuesday, BBBS staff and volunteers from all over Northeast Indiana traveled to the Clyde Theater to join in on an evening full of fun, music, and celebration. This year’s Volunteer Recognition Dinner featured a free Casa Ristoranti Italiano dinner for its Bigs, activities, and loads of prizes that made this night unforgettable. This event also honors seven people who have gone above and beyond as volunteers, helping BBBS ignite the power and promise of youth.
The seven volunteers who were awarded for their service:
- Big Brother of the Year: Drew Seely
- Big Sister of the Year: Laurie Whisler
- Big Couple of the Year: Ed & Terry Stuczynski
- School Buddy of the Year: Cheryl Barker
- Real Men Reader of the Year: Mike Dennison
- Rookie of the Year: Warren Disch
Big Brother of the Year
Big Brother Drew has been matched with Little Brother Isaac for seven years now!
Drew and Isaac are two peas in a pod. There’s nothing they enjoy more than grabbing a bite to eat, hitting the gym, or watching sports. In fact, one of their favorite memories together is their Big-and-Little trip to Indianapolis, where they watched a Colts game.
One of Drew’s goals is to provide as many new and diverse experiences as possible to help Isaac to become well-rounded. But these outings with his Big Brother give Isaac more than a fun time; he gets to clear his mind, even if just for a few hours.
Drew understands the role he plays in Isaac’s life as an adult male role model. Because of this, he acts as an example of responsibility and dedication for his Little Brother. Drew’s deliberate and involved mentorship lets Isaac, and even Isaac’s mom, know that he is in it for the long haul. Over the years, the pair have worked on improving time management skills, plans for the future, and academics. If there’s something Isaac needs to tell his Big Brother, he knows Drew will have his back.
Big Sister of the Year
Big Sister Laurie has been matched with Little Sister Unique for almost 6 years ago now!
Laurie has been volunteering as a School Buddy and Community-Based Big Sister for the past decade, resulting in 7 matches, including one current School Buddy match that she has in addition to her match with Unique.
At home, Unique must act as the “Big Sister” to her younger brother, so being a “Little Sister” to Laurie provides an experience she can’t get elsewhere. As Laurie’s Little, their adventures take Unique all over town, from swimming to shopping to eating at restaurants. They stop into library events, never ones to pass up a learning opportunity.
Laurie checks in on Unique’s grades, homework, and relationships at school to make sure she is on track and to help where she can. But her mentorship doesn’t stop at helping her in academics. This Big Sister coached Unique for two seasons in Girls on the Run, encouraging her and making sure she met her running goal—and she did! This example sums up Laurie and Unique’s dynamic perfectly: Laurie motivates her Little and gives her the extra push she needs right up to the finish line.
When asked about her Big Sister, Unique said, “I know I can trust her.”
Big Couple of the Year
Big Couple Ed & Terry have been matched with Little Brother Jayden for five years now!
Terry once worked for BBBS and has seen firsthand the difference it can make in a young person’s life, but it also makes quite the difference to the volunteer as well! Big Couple Ed & Terry will be the first to tell you that having a Little keeps you active and feeling young. Bowling, basketball, game nights, you name it: this trio has tried it. And they are always looking for new ideas and fun things to do together.
Ed & Terry are a constant source of support to their Little. Believing that cheering him on is important, the couple regularly attends his football, basketball, and baseball games. Without pressure, they are there for Jayden to confide in. This has aided him as he matures and grows up, and Ed & Terry are glad that he has the space to be open and trusting.
While they walk the trails in their town, they discuss Jayden’s grades and future goals. From these conversations, they have seen their Little blossom in perseverance and reliability. Jayden shares that he loves having his Bigs and that he wouldn’t change a thing about them.
School Buddy of the Year
Big Sister Cheryl has been matched with Little Sister Kayidence for 3 years now!
Cheryl is a seasoned Big Sister who has been volunteering for the past 23 years, since 2003. Cheryl has had 12 School Buddy and Community-Based matches over the years and currently has another School Buddy match, as well, stepping in for her friend’s match after her friend passed away.
In her match with Little Sister Kayidence, the elementary schooler’s polite and helpful personality made it easy for them to get along. From the moment they met, the kind and sweet Little has been a joy to be around. Kayidence gets so excited when Cheryl comes to visit. She always has the biggest smile on her face and greets her School Buddy with a hug.
They do lots of crafts together, one for every season: snowflakes, easter eggs, flowers, turkeys, and more. The crafty elementary schooler displays all their art projects in her school cubby. They discuss school, play Uno, make bookmarks, press flowers, have snacks, and read books—everything that makes up a great friendship.
Real Men Reader of the Year
Mike has been a Real Men Reader since October 2020, when schools began allowing visitors back in the classroom. He is now in his 6th year in the program.
Mike makes reading time an exciting and enjoyable experience for his third-grade classroom. The kids love his animated voices and the pizazz he adds to his readings. He embodies the mission of the program: making reading fun! On top of that, Mike has been involved in the Community-Based mentoring program as well. In 2017, he won the award for Big Brother of the Year for his dedication and impact on his Little.
Advocating for the agency has never been hard for the passionate and outgoing volunteer. Since he first started getting involved in 2008, Mike has taken on whatever role he needs to in order to serve the mission.
When he first began, he had been a local DJ, so he would dial potential donors to request donations for BBBS. When BBBS needs a charismatic and engaging speaker for promotional videos, advertising, and events, Mike is just a call away and will drop everything to assist. He always puts in 100% effort. His advocacy extends to his social media, where he uses his influence to spread the mission.
Rookie of the Year
Big Brother Warren has been matched with his Little Brother Silas for 2 years now!
Silas is a spunky and enthusiastic nine-year-old, but if anyone can keep up with his liveliness, it’s Big Brother Warren. This dynamic duo shares excitement for any sport, especially football, basketball, and track. But Silas is simply eager to have fun, so he doesn’t care what they do as long as they have a blast!
When they first met, the two discovered a shared love of pizza and bowling, which gave them something in common right away. Over the past two years, Silas and Warren have visited the mall, explored the zoo, competed at Putt-Putt, and played arcade games at Chuck-E-Cheese. Silas and Warren also take their energetic zeal to the great outdoors, where they have fun, no matter the activity.
Warren’s friendship gives Silas a chance to get out of the house and receive individual attention apart from his family. With nine other siblings, Silas may not always get the one-on-one time he wants. This Big Brother directs his Little’s abundance of energy into healthy and active hobbies and expands his horizons to new activities. Silas shares that one of his favorite parts of having a Big Brother is getting to spend time away from his brothers and sisters.
Thank You!!
We’d like to thank each and every one of our volunteers who exemplify a commitment to change, giving back, and being a good friend, and a special BIG “thank you” and congratulations to our Bigs of the Year for Northeast Indiana! To learn more about Big Brothers Big Sisters, check out our website: www.bbbsnei.org or call 260-456-1600.
