Big Sister Cindy & Little Sister Elizabeth

Meet Big Sister Cindy and Little Sister Elizabeth who have been matched for 8 months now!

Big Sister Cindy and Little Sister Elizabeth first met in February 2024 and have been loving their time together so far!

Starting as Sisters

For Cindy, her journey with Big Brothers Big Sisters began when she retired from working with elementary children. Because she and her husband were “empty nesters,” they decided to move to Kosciusko. After hearing about BBBS at a wellness fair booth, Cindy realized that this is how she wanted to give back!

“That’s when I decided to give it a try,” said Cindy. “I had the time and desire to invest in a young person’s life.”

Before getting matched, Elizabeth’s mom wasn’t quite sure what the program was, but she signed her daughter up “so she can have a good time”—not to mention “so she can get away from her brother” for a bit!

When they first met, Elizabeth felt “good and happy” to finally have a Big Sister! Cindy was very excited but was also a bit nervous to see how the day would go.

“The minute we met, however, I knew it was going to be a great match. She was adorable and engaging from the beginning,” said Cindy.

So Far So Good

Over half a year, Cindy and Elizabeth have already done a lot together. And this is only the beginning! One of Cindy’s favorite parts of being matched has been having a young person back in her life again.

“We raised five kids, and our grandchildren live out of state,” Cindy shared. “I love having a young person in my life.”

One of Elizabeth’s favorite parts of being matched with Cindy is how much they have in common, including their shared adventurous spirit and willingness to try new things! For starters, Elizabeth and Cindy both like dogs! Especially Elizabeth’s dog, Zeus, and Cindy’s dogs, Nina and Nora.

“She has dogs, and I have a dog,” said Elizabeth. “We usually have a walk with the dog.”

Their adventure-seeking leads them to explore new places like restaurants and try new things like walking the runway together in the BIG Celebration fashion show.

“We both like to eat out.  In fact, we have decided that we will never go to the same restaurant twice.  So far, we have managed this!” said Cindy.

The two sisters enjoy their meet-ups, which are filled with trying tasty treats and playing fun games. On top of that, both Elizabeth and Cindy love “all things crafty and musical,” as well as boat riding and spending days by the lake! Cindy also enjoys attending Elizabeth’s softball games and practices.

Some of Elizabeth’s favorite memories with her big sister so far include competing in Uno, exploring Science Central, and visiting the fair. Cindy’s personal favorite memory is when Elizabeth draws pictures for her, complete with notes, and when she watches Elizabeth try new things!

Looking Ahead

But they aren’t stopping there! Elizabeth and Cindy still have loads of ideas for new activities to try together. Elizabeth is looking forward to “hiking, fishing, and flying a kite” with her Big Sister, not to mention other fun ideas like bowling, art, swimming, sleepovers, cooking, and kayaking.

“I think that it is important that Elizabeth feels valued and loved.  I want her to experience consistency with our relationship,” said Cindy on how she hopes to impact Elizabeth. “I want her to feel that she is special to me and that I can be a person to trust and seek advice from.  I want her to know and feel that I am in this relationship for life!”

When looking towards the future, Elizabeth says she’s happy that things “have been good.” Cindy agrees and hopes to continue how things have been going.

“I would say that we will continue down this path of getting to know each other and will have some beautiful experiences together.  We will grow and learn from each other,” she shared. 

Why BBBS?

Even though Elizabeth and Cindy’s match is just beginning, they can already tell you why joining the program was a good idea! For Elizabeth, she is happy to have found a “caring and nice” Big Sister who is “easy to talk to,” making her feel like Cindy cares about her.

“She’s been really, really supportive,” said Elizabeth’s mom about Cindy. “She’s able to take her places where I can’t take her.” Cindy points out that this is one of the benefits of the program: having another adult to help out in tough times and celebrate with during good times!

Cindy recommends BBBS to people thinking about volunteering, saying to think of it as a mutually beneficial program. For instance, Cindy says that Elizabeth’s resilience has taught her “how to not worry so much about little things.”

She has a few words of advice for those considering becoming a Big:

“I think people are reluctant to jump into something that can be such a big commitment.  Time is valuable to everyone.  However, if you think about the time spent with your little as being advantageous for them and you, positive and heartwarming, then there is no better way to spend your valuable time!  This program allows the heart to grow!”

Take it from Cindy, if you have the time and commitment, and you would like to both give and receive a lasting positive impact in your life, become a Big!

If you would like to know more about Big Brothers Big Sisters, click here. To learn how to start your journey as a Big, click here.