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WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 1988, PAGE 17 25 now on waitiing i*st forBigSisters organization Big Sisters of Newcastle, Oshawa, and Whitby needs volunteer Big Sisters .te be a special fiend for more than 25 young girls and boys on the waiting list. Special friends are sometinies hard to come by, but Marie is lucky enough te have such a fiend. As a Big Sister to 15-year-old Susan for five years, their relationship has blossomed into a strong fiendship. It has been such a thrill watching Susan grow into a wonderful young wornan," says Marie. "I have no regrets about becoming a Big Sister, but it is a definite commitment." Susan's father died when she was 10 and mom and Susan began te pick up their lives again. Mom continued to provide a warmn, close relationship, but Susan began to withdraw. She had difficulty making friends and ber marks in school were falling. When Susan began te caîl in at the school nurse's office for no apparent reason, mom recognized Susan was asking for sometbing. She called Big Sisters. "Today's world can be a confusing place for many young people," says Carol Rhodes, executive director of Big Sisters of newcastle,. Oshawa and Whitby. "There are mnany changes in today's society that can cause feelings of insecurity and alienation. "The primary focus of Big Sisters," she continues, is to provide the opportunity for . optimum growth and -development through fiendship and support of ý mature woman to a young person in need. Everyone needs someone whom they can trust, confide in and just be there for them." "Thaere is no typical Little Sister" says Rhodes. "Little Sisters corne from al backgrounds and have different needs." They are girls between the ages of 7 and 17 and corne frorn- one-parent, mother-or father-led, or two-parent famiilies, and of any econornic means. What Little Sisters have in common is that they are usually lacking in self: confidence and have a poor self esteem. As a consequence they rnay be shy and withdrawn. "Often a girl needs someone frcom the outside to help her make choices,". Rhodes says. "Someone she doesn't feel threatened by --not necessarily a figure of authority but someone who offers friendship and will accept ber, for who she is, not someone she should be. or will be." A consistent and caring volunteer Big Sister who is involved with the child for personal commitrnent and interest rather than a paid service, can have an enormous influence on a girl's life. "And the Big Sister is not a threat to the mother or the father. Everyone can happily work -together to see that the Little Sister/Buddy develops to their fullest potential." Big Sisters not 'only, needs volunteers for young girls but also* young boys ages 7-10. The Little Buddies program offers a positive female relationship to young boys who may be growing up in a' home without their mother, or Iwho.are experiencing cifficulties with their relationship with their mother or other women. Little Sisters and Buddies are ofren referred by parents, social agencies, public health nurses, doctors or schools. After careful screening, a Big and Little Sister/Buddy are matched according to common interests and, experiences. A true friendship grows slowly and therefore potential Big Sisters are SEE PAGE 18 WIIITBY Late hours carnpaign brings more people'downtown On April 7 the WhiMtby Down- town Business Improvement Area launched a Late Hours campaign. The goal was te encourage more downtown businesses te stay open until 9:00 p.m'. on Thursday and Friday nights and te make Durham llegion's shoppers aware that downtown is open at night. 4'3 businesses originally signed up for the campaign. In the 5 weeks that the Late Hours have been in effect another 14 businesses have joined Up. 0f the present total of 57, participating stores, 34 had not been open late on Thursday and Friday nights before. Thursday and Friday nights have become a vexy attractive tinie for people to shop in downtown Whitby. The majority of the shops are open, the parking is free after 6:00 p.m., the weather is warmner and the days are longer. Instead of spending a confined and chaotic evening dodging the crowds at an indoor shopping mail, why not join the ranks of the- relaxed, fresh air loving, downtown shoppers and enjoy the personable, fiendly atmosphere that can be found in each downtown shop. Durham~t Goldsmi"thÎn5% W atch For Our Everything Must Go!! 210-B Brock St. S. Whitby 666-4612 WEL PAY YOUR- SAL S TAX On any purchase or order, big or smcl., wë'll pay your sales tax of 8% until May 3lst. Wide selection of solid oak & pine tables, chairs, buffets & hutches, wall units, rockers, bedroom suites, gifts, accessories and more. SAVE BIG ON SELECTED FLOOR MODELS F OLD OOD AT VNEER PIES SOLID OAK & PINE FURNITURE 0 lm~ 110 Dunlop St. E. The elegant look of the past .. 666-13 HURS: MON. - WED. 10 -6 TiUIRS. - FRI. 10 -9 SATURDAY 10 -5:30 V'3'AN ADDITIONAL454%> ON YOUR PURCHASE OR ORDER BRING IN THIS COUPON FOR GREAT SAVJNGS. GOOD T]ILL MAY 31/88 READY CLASS? Speli this -after me.. T-U-R-T-L-E C-R-E-E-K ts the place to go for tasteful gifis. Art prints of old buildings by Jack Hastie. lots of great crafîs and country stuff tf00 Open il f0 5, Tues. f0 Sat. qurt(eCrecé Unit 4, in Whitby Lane, 153 Brock St. N. Tel.: 430-3242