So it’s hard for us to understand how many children in the Central Susquehanna Valley need our help.  Many have single moms or dads who are overwhelmed by the responsibility of being a parent, especially if they have low-paying jobs.

Every day, our volunteers who serve as big brothers and sisters give these children a chance to do fun things together, to talk with them, and to be an older friend they can trust.  But we still have over 100 children on our waiting list.  Of those, here are just three who could benefit from having a big brother or sister (names have been changed to protect their privacy):

- Timothy is a 12-year old boy who lives with his Mom, brother, and three sisters in Northumberland County.  He has been waiting for a Big Brother since January 2005.  Tim enjoys playing sports such as basketball, baseball, and soccer.  He also likes to do plenty of activities outside like go fishing, hunting, or swimming.  Timothy would like to have a Big Brother so he has a chance to do more things that he can't do with his family.  Other interests that Tim has are watching movies and playing games.

- Cassie is a 9-year old girl who lives in Snyder County with her parents.  She has two brothers who are both younger than her.  She wants to have a Big Sister so she can have the chance to be a Little Sister instead of the Big Sister.  Last year Cassie was matched with a Big Sister, but unfortunately her Big Sister had to move away shortly after they were matched together.  Cassie has been waiting for another Big Sister since then.  The things that Cassie would like to do with her Big Sister are fishing, horseback riding, painting, swimming, playing games, going to the movies, or playing with pets or dolls.

- Caleb is a 12-year old boy who lives with his Mom in Northumberland County.  His Dad died when he was a baby so he does not have a male figure in his life other than his 18-year old brother.  However, his brother is busy and doesn't have much time for him anymore.  A few years ago Caleb was matched with a Big Brother and they had lots of fun for two years.  Unfortunately, his Big Brother had to move away, and since then he has been waiting for another guy to come along to be his Big Brother.  Caleb likes to do lots of things outdoors like go climbing, fishing, sledding, and swimming.  He also likes to draw, go to the movies, and play sports.  His favorite things to do is go out skateboarding.

- Kevin is an 11-year old boy who resides with his Mother and three siblings in Union County.  A few years ago his Father moved to another state and since then, Kevin's only male interaction is with teachers at school.  He loves to play sports and do things outdoors.  He wants to have a Big Brother so he can do things that he can't do with his Mom like go to the park and play football.  other activities that Kevin enjoys include playing games, watching movies, and going bowling.

- Kimberly is an 11-year old girl who lives in Northumberland County with her parents and her 7-year old sister.  She likes to do just about anything related to sports, games, crafts, or doing things outside.  Kimberly is really smart and does very well in school.  She makes the Distinguished Honor Roll almost every marking period.  Kim would like to have a Big Sister so she can have somebody else to hang out with and do fun things with.

- Madison is a 15-year old girl who lives with her family in Northumberland County.  She enjoys many activities including softball, movies, games, and cooking.  Other interests that Madison has are anything to do with the outdoors like skiing, horseback riding, skating, and fishing.  She looks forward to having a Big Sister so she can do more things outside, like play softball or go camping.