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CONTACT:
Kimberly Breeden
Big Brothers Big Sisters
919 286.7155
info@bbbsdo.org

America's Oldest Mentoring Program Opens Doors in Durham and Orange Counties

DURHAM, NC, June 15, 2000—Big Brothers Big Sisters of Durham and Orange Counties, Inc. celebrated its grand opening today at a ribbon cutting ceremony at Edison Johnson Recreation Center in Durham.

The oldest child-mentoring program in America helped establish the local agency in Durham and Orange counties in 1998. Due to the efforts of community volunteers in affiliation with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, donations of foundations, local businesses and individuals, the agency is ready to serve the area with an office location and a new Executive Director, Sabrina Slade.

" Our goal is to establish long lasting mentoring relationships. This is a tremendous opportunity to link adults in our community with children who need guidance and support as they mature," said Slade. "There is no better reward than changing the life of a child in a positive way."

Marshall Brain, CEO and chairman of HowStuffWorks.com, announced the company's partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Durham and Orange Counties today at the ribbon cutting. Brain participated in the program as a little brother when he was in his teens.

"My father died when I was 15, and it left a huge hole," said Brain. "Although I didn't fully appreciate it until many years later, my Big Brother had a huge, positive influence on me and helped me through a very uncomfortable period of my life. Many of the things he taught me help me today with my own son."

The mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Durham and Orange Counties is to help children from single-parent homes in need of a positive role model. The program is based on a one-to-one relationship between an adult volunteer and a child.

Mayor Pro Tempore A.J. Howard Clement, III of Durham presided over the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

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