The Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) Orillia & District Bowl for Kids’ Sake fundraiser has raised more than $26,000 this week.

BBBS held its annual family night portion of the fundraiser on Tuesday evening where families, matches, community partners, and supporters took to the lanes at Orillia Bowl. Orillia OPP officers and Orillia firefighters also took part in the event, bowling with children stuck on the waitlist.

Haleigh Payne, the fundraising and community development coordinator for BBBS Orillia & District, says Bowl for Kids’ Sake is the “most important” fundraiser of the year for the organization.

“It brings not only a lot of funds,” she said. “It also brings a lot of awareness about our organization and programs to the community.”

Raising over $25,000 for BBBS shows how much the community values the organization, Payne says.

“On average it costs $1,500 to support a traditional one-on-one match per year,” she said. “The more money we can raise, the more children we can support.”

Currently, there are more than 70 children in the Orillia area on the waitlist, anxiously awaiting a mentor.

“We are always looking for mentors, big brothers, and big sisters,” she said. “We are looking for anyone who thinks they would be able to have a positive impact.”

Payne says volunteering with BBBS is a great way to give back to the community.

“It really helps the next generation of youth reach their full potential,” she said. “We have had a couple mentors say to us that the reason they volunteered is because they wanted to be the person they needed when they were younger.”

“BBBS is an excellent cause,” she said. “If I hadn’t joined, I wouldn’t have met my little sister Andy.”

Jullusci, 38, says the process of becoming a mentor was “seamless.”

“They were able to match us immediately,” she said. “We were able to connect without any problem.”

Jullusci says she and Andy have the “same energy” which makes them such a great match.

“We are super sisters,” she said. “We do a lot of baking together, we like hiking, and paddle boarding and things like that.”

Jullusci says Andy has given her a lot of “inspiration.”

“It’s been a good ride,” she said. “I enjoy spending time with Andy and it makes me feel good.”

Jullusci hopes more people become mentors for BBBS.

“If you have the time to spare, you might be able to give your match some encouragement and create a bond,” she said. “You can make a good impact on youth, and we all have something to give.”

Gill says having Jullusci as a match has been an incredible experience.

“I love that she is always inspiring me to try new things,” she said. “She encourages me to go out of my comfort zone.”

Gill hopes more adults will step up to mentor her fellow youth as Jullusci has become her “best friend.”

“It’s a great experience for us kids,” she said. “We have a lot of fun and create a bond with someone we didn’t know.

To donate to Bowl for Kid’s Sake, or more information about volunteering, click here.