Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Southern Adirondacks Celebrates Volunteers at The 11th Annual Big Night of Thanks

Glens Falls, NY (November 22, 2017) – On November 16, 2017 Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) recognized five remarkable volunteers and honorees at their 11th annual Big Night of Thanks. The event is generously co-sponsored by Glens Falls Hospital, NBT Bank, C.R. BARD and friends of the agency, Bert and Terri Rappaport. The event will be hosted by the Hiland Park Country Club in Queensbury.

Luke Kelly, of Queensbury, was named our 2017 Big Brother of the Year. Luke has been matched with Little Brother Sam for 4 years this November. Sam said his favorite thing about his Big Brother Luke is that they share a lot of similar interests and he is fun to hang out with. Luke has helped Sam discover the joy of giving back by participating in agency events, like Bowl for Kids’ Sake. Recently, we asked Sam how long he thought they would be friends, he fondly replied “forever.”

Kelsey Schermerhorn, of Fort Ann, was named our 2017 Big Sister of the Year. Kelsey, has been matched with Little Sister Amber since February of 2012. Kelsey has been a tremendous role model for her Little for nearly six years. She joined our agency because she had volunteered in Michigan and wanted to give back in her home community. Kelsey and Amber share a love for the outdoors and spend a lot of time exploring the Adirondacks and beyond. They also attend many agency sponsored events. When asked to describe her Big Sister, Amber said “she is fun, caring, active, nice, funny, loveable, considerate and responsible.”

Deanna Lebel, senior at Queensbury Union Free School District, was named School-Based Big Sister of the Year. Not only has Deanna been an amazing Big Sister to her Little Ari for three years, she was instrumental in the implementation of Big Brothers Big Sisters’ after school program at Queensbury Middle School. Amazingly, her involvement with BBBS started long before she became a Big to Little Sister Ari. Deanna has been participating in Bowl for Kids’ Sake for the majority of her life as both a volunteer at the event and as a fundraiser. She first bowled with her family at the event when she was only 3 years old.

Jared Humiston, President of Adirondack Technical Solutions, was selected as our 2017 Honorary Big Brother. Jared embodies the spirit of giving back. While he is not a traditional matched mentor, he has become a true partner in strengthening our organization as we in turn support our Bigs and our Littles. In addition to BBBS, he is involved with many other community organizations; having a positive influence and amplifying the impact of our direct work with the youth that need us most.

Brian Bearor, CEO of Family YMCA of the Glens Falls Area, was selected as the recipient of the David J. Capron Humanitarian of the Year Award. Brian has been a leader in our community for many years. He has worked closely with the Tri-County United Way, currently serves as an officer on the board of the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce, and is a Rotary member in addition to his role at the YMCA. Brian proudly accepted the honor to be in the likes of David J. Capron, a longtime supporter of ours. As with Dave, Brian is committed to making our community stronger.