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Category: Front Page News Front Page News
Published: 25 October 2017 25 October 2017

 dsc4638Silver City-Grant County Chamber of Commerce board members, Sabrina Pack and Bruce Ashburn, hold each end of the ribbon as BBBS Grant County Program Specialist Donna Guevara cuts the ribbon. Photo courtesy of Jim Mathews.

img 5700Area BBBS representatives Regional Director Dawn Starostka, Program Specialist Donna Guevara, Program Coordinator Gila Trujillo, Program Specialists Crystal Nowell, Coordinator Nancy Chaparro, and intern Valerie Galindo stand in front of the office. Photo by Mary Alice Murphy

By Mary Alice Murphy

For the ribbon cutting to celebrate the opening of an office in Silver City, several representatives of Big Brothers Big Sisters for Dona Ana County and Grant County were on hand, Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2017, to answer questions and welcome the Bigs and Littles that attended.

Nancy Chaparro, program coordinator for Dona Ana and Grant Counties said the goal is to have 45 matches of Bigs and Littles in Grant County by the end of the year.

Donna Guevara is the Grant County program specialist who will recruit Bigs for the Littles who need a mentor. "Nancy will be coming and going between the two programs."

Silver City Mayor Ken Ladner said: "It is a privilege to be here for the ribbon cutting. For those of you who are not familiar with the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, a young person is matched with an adult for the adult to mentor him or her. Kids who participate in the program have a much better chance of success as they go through school and become adults."

Dawn Starostka, regional director of Dona Ana and Grant counties in the Big Brothers Big Sisters Mountain Region, introduced several of those present. Crystal Nowell and Diana Lozano are program specialists in Dona Ana County. Gina Trujillo attended from Santa Fe, and Lucas Peerman is chair of the board of directors for Dona Ana and Grant counties. Local board members present were April Ortiz and Edith Lee.

"I came to Silver City to try to rebuild the program here the first time on April 9, 2015," Starostka said. For Nancy and me this is a huge personal accomplishment. At one time we had 130 matches here in Grant County and now we have grown it from zero back up to 32 matches. Coach Coleman was a former Big Brother, and another WNMU coach also was a Big. We appreciate the partnership with Western New Mexico University. Freeport McMoRan has helped us. Mr. and Mrs. Parrish have helped us with the office space and desks. The whole community of Silver City has supported us."

Bruce Ashburn welcomed them on behalf of the Silver City-Grant County Chamber of Commerce. "It makes a difference when you have an office."

The program will continue to expand. Stop by the office at 1106 N. Pope Street next to the former Comcast office to get more information.