BBBS seeks expansion in Rimbey

Ponoka’s Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) program seeks to duplicate their existing model in Rimbey. Executive director Beth Reitz met with county council Feb. 7 to discuss their hopes for the satellite program.

“We did our grand opening in October, we’ve only been running for a few months, we have nine matches already there, five in the process,” she explained.

The Rimbey satellite recently hired Paula Madu to run the program but to be able to expand and support extra programs such as a Boys and Girls Club, Rimbey would need additional funds.

Supporting four schools, Reitz wants to expand to Bluffton. BBBS has grown faster than anticipated and she would like to keep the momentum by adding the Boys and Girls Club in Rimbey.

“The youth are begging for programs out there,” she stated.

To do this BBBS needs an increase in staff and hours; and funding is the way they can make it happen.

“It’s pretty hard to be sustainable right off the bat, here in Ponoka we’ve made out quite well. We’re over twenty years in and we’ve learned the ropes,” stated Reitz.

BBBS has asked councillors for $20,000 to spend over the next two years. Reitz said they have also approached the Town of Rimbey, but are waiting for a response from council; Rimbey FCSS, who has awarded $10,000, and they are considering the schools for next year. “We run fundraisers in the schools but we haven’t started that yet.”

Council decided to wait on the response from Rimbey town council and Coun. Paul McLauchlin thought it would be a good idea to discuss it over the 2012 budget deliberations.

“It is a good idea to wait, but it is a good program and it is sorely needed out there. We should keep it as a line item in our 2012 budget and we’ll revisit the actual information at that time,” said McLauchlin.