Mentoring Adventure

Patrick and Anthony were matched in July of 2023. Although they have been matched for a short time, they have gone on many different adventures together. One of their excursions included Patrick taking Anthony on a day trip to Camp Newaygo. Patrick has worked in the camping industry for the past 10 years, and he wanted Anthony to experience the wonderful atmosphere camp has to offer. Their day at camp included archery, fire building, s’mores and tie-dying. When making a fire, Anthony and Patrick started from scratch. Anthony was able to learn the patience and skills it takes to build a fire, and how rewarding it can be, especially if it results in s’mores! Anthony was also able to problem solve, when it came time to make tie-dye shirts for his mom, himself, and Patrick. During archery Anthony was reminded not everything has to be a competition. When he stepped back, took his time, and had fun, he impressed Patrick by making a bullseye on one of the targets. Anthony’s day at camp was a huge success.

Over the past few months, Patrick and Anthony have also built a wagon, sat front row at The SpongeBob Musical, and even tried freeze-dried skittles together. We can’t wait to see what other adventures they go on in the future. As a mentor, Patrick has a huge impact on Anthony. He is able to be there to help Anthony process things that are going on at school, as well as in his personal life. However, Anthony has also had a huge impact on Patrick. Patrick says he is really impressed by Anthony’s abilities, and he continues to learn new things from him;

“My goal is for Anthony to do things that he wants to do, but also challenge him to tap into other potential that he has. He is capable of more than he knows”.

We are so thankful for our mentors, like Patrick, who take time to impact our kids’ lives. These mentors create a safe environment and encourage our youth to try new things. If you are interested in becoming a mentor, we would love to add you to our team of volunteers. Contact Serena Lafferty, slafferty@truenorthservices.org or (231) 924-0641, ext. 174, for more information.