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September 21, 2004

Maria Shriver launches Big Brother Big Sister program at Pendleton

By Michelle Morgante
Associated Press


CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — Hoping to help children of Marines cope with deployments and other hardships that come with life in the military, California first lady Maria Shriver visited a Camp Pendleton school Tuesday to launch a first-of-its-kind Big Brother Big Sister mentoring program.

“Operation Bigs” pairs up Marines and others at Camp Pendleton with elementary school students to build relationships and share activities to help the children deal with the stresses of long separations from their parents.

“I know many, many of you have parents who are serving in the military and that means you’re serving, too,” Shriver told hundreds of children who greeted her with shouts and cheers at Mary Fay Pendleton School.

“Many of you have moms or dads who are really far away and that’s very hard. You’re very courageous,” she said. “Everyone in California thanks you.”

One Marine wife, Jewel Martinez, said her husband’s current deployment to Iraq, his second in a year, has been especially hard on their 10-year-old daughter, who has shown more emotional outbursts and behavior problems.

“For Rosa, it’s been really, really hard because she’s the baby, and she’s a daddy’s girl,” Martinez said. “She just was an emotional wreck. And now that we have this Big Brother Big Sister program, this is going to be an extra boost for her.”

Rosa, a tall and soft-spoken girl, met her new Big Sister, Francisca, for the first time Tuesday and is looking forward to sharing girl talk, nail-painting sessions and trips to the bowling alley.

“I would like to have a sister who I could tell things to so she could help me out,” she said.

“Operation Bigs” is the first program to specifically pair military personnel with the children of military families in order to “match a child to someone who is very tuned into the issues their facing,” said Robin Palley, spokeswoman for the Philadelphia-based Big Brother Big Sisters of America.

Dozens of children and Marines are part of the initial group. But 75 other children are on a waiting list and even more signed up for mentors Tuesday, organizers said. Volunteer mentors can be Marines or civilians with access to the Marine Corps base.

Lance Cpl. Johnny Collins of Houston was inspired to volunteer by memories of growing up without a big brother of his own. On Tuesday, he met 8-year-old Jonathan, and the two made plans to share their mutual love of sports and go skateboarding together.

Jonathan’s father is midway through a yearlong deployment to Iraq, Collins said.

“It’s got to be real hard on a kid because you’re still growing,” he said. “I’m not trying to fill the void. I’m just there to be his friend and big brother, which is what he needs when he doesn’t have a father figure around.”

Big Brothers-Big Sisters of America is celebrating its 100th anniversary and is currently in a drive to increase its participation rate from 220,000 children a year to 1 million, Palley said.

Martinez praised the Marines who stepped forward to help the children at Camp Pendleton, especially the new Big Sister for Rosa.

“That she decided to maker herself available for our children, I think that is just tremendous. It’s a tremendous sacrifice on her part,” she said. “We need this. We really, really do.”

On the Net:

• Big Brothers and Sisters of San Diego County.

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.