Chris Kuebler

Kurt & Anthony’s Shared Friendship

“[The mentoring program is] really fun, it’s a good way to learn life skills and meet new people”, says 14 year old mentee Anthony. Anthony and his mentor Kurt have spent the majority of their summer months enjoying the outdoors. From kayaking and paddleboarding, to fishing and swimming, they have embraced the beautiful Michigan weather. Anthony even caught his first ever fish on one of their outings together.

Kurt and Anthony are paired in TrueMentors community-based mentoring program. They initially met this past January, however, it wasn’t until June when they became an official mentoring match. Getting together approximately once a week, they have enjoyed everything from sharing meals together, riding carnival rides and even built a boat out of cardboard and duct tape (that lasted for a short while above water!). This fall they are looking forward to attending some football games and visiting the pumpkin patch together.

Kurt has enjoyed the fact he has been able to develop friendship and trust with Anthony. If you are debating getting involved as a mentor, Kurt has this to share “It’s a great opportunity to be a resource for the community- to help inspire and empower the growth of a child- to lead toward successes in life.”

In addition to community-based mentoring, TrueMentors also offers TrueBlue Academy at Newaygo and White Cloud Public Schools and Parks in Focus. New this fall, TrueMentors, along with Newaygo Elementary, is also launching Lions Together, a mentoring program focused on matching boys ages five to eight with mentors which meets weekly throughout the school year. To learn more about TrueMentors or to become a mentor, contact Serena Lafferty at (231) 924-0641, ext. 174 or slafferty@truenorthservices.org.