With the goal of building futures serving as the backdrop, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Cincinnati hosted a breakfast in Covington on Tuesday that yielded $240,000 in donations.
More than 300 community leaders attended the mentoring network’s BIG Breakfast fundraiser at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center, officials said.
“Every year our goal is to connect new people to our work and our movement,” Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Cincinnati CEO John Heater said regarding the BIG Breakfast. “We do one-on-one mentoring to impact kids’ lives and were able to get a bunch of our friends together. So, with over 350 guests, we’re just proud they were here to support us.”
In keeping with the building theme, the effort included a panel discussion featuring construction industry professionals O’Rourke Wrecking Company CEO Michele O’Rourke, Al. Neyer CEO Molly North, MSA Design Vice President and Managing Partner Bill Baker and Messer Construction CEO Tim Stiegerwald.
Each panelist shared insight regarding how mentors impacted their lives and encouraged those in attendance to fill that role in the lives of area children.
“I was given the gift of hard work and I noticed in the younger generations, there’s a lot of hopelessness,” O’Rourke said. “I try to empower children at a young age. There are choices and career paths….other routes for great, lucrative careers. And just talking through some of the things you’re going through. We don’t have perfect lives.”
During the proceedings, Baker shared a quote from his father that continues to resonate.
“This is one of the best pieces of advice he ever gave me,” Baker said. “He said there’s two things you do in life – you enter and you leave. How you do one directly affects the legacy of the next.”
Ensuring that each child has an opportunity to learn, grow and thrive is at the forefront of all Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Greater Cincinnati seeks to achieve, Heater said.