Big Sister Pendy

Big Brothers Big Sisters has a long history in Northeast Indiana, now over 50 years spent serving the region. Not long after the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Fort Wayne chapter formed, Pendy signed up to be a Big Sister in Noble County.

In 1975, she was matched with her 9-year-old Little Sister Marie, and the two soon became friends. Their tradition was to do an activity together on Fridays. Sometimes this was roller skating, bowling, or going to the movies. Other times, when the weather permitted, they would visit different parks and have fun outside. One of her Little’s favorite activities was to cook together, but not just anything. Buckeyes were their go-to sweet treat!

The pair would also meet up with other matches in the area for Christmas and fall celebrations. She remembers one particular fall gathering where the Littles got to fly kites and cook soup over a fire.

She found these simple and fun outings to be very important for kids, especially because not every child has access to places and activities around them. Having a Big Brother or Big Sister can help children learn that there are things outside their lives that they can enjoy.  

Whatever they did, Pendy was glad to be helping a child in her community, and she would go on to be a Big Sister again to a girl in Kendallville. During her time as a Big Sister, Pendy won two awards for volunteering in the program, including Big Sister of the Year in 1980. Always willing to talk about mentoring, Pendy would share updates with the newspaper about her and her Little. One year, she also gave a speech at the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum at a fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Pendy used her time with her Littles to teach them manners and things like how to properly use a fork and knife. This also brought the opportunity to teach her own son, who was a similar age, how to be chivalrous. Soon, he learned how to open the door for her Little Sisters. Learning these types of behaviors is another benefit she sees to the program.

“It’s all these little things that the kids have to learn,” said Pendy. “And to me, it’s just that they’re little mirrors reflecting back what you teach them.”

Being a mentor changed Pendy’s life—helping her learn the different ways people live and teaching her how to be a friend, not a parent, to kids.

One day, a simple postcard came in the mail, which made Pendy realize how much being a Big Sister meant to her life and to her Little’s life. A few years ago, many years after they had been matched, one of her Littles sent her a Christmas postcard in the mail. She was all grown up, married with a family, and living in another state. It was heart-warming to see how far the ambitious and hardworking girl she knew had gone in life—and that she had remembered her Big Sister so long afterwards.

“I was kinda surprised,” said Pendy. “It has changed my life, thinking about how much of an impression you can make on a child.”

Pendy encourages others to become part of the program:

“If you want to be a good friend and help them understand a little bit more about life…and to teach them to have a future, I think it’s very important.”

Thank you, Pendy, for your years as a Big Sister!

To learn more about our mentoring opportunities, visit our volunteer page!