By Laura McAlister
Journal Editor
Susan Shields speaks from experience when she describes the positive impact siblings can have on one another.
The Homewood resident is one of five children. She has an older sister and brother, younger brother and she’s also a twin. Growing up in Mobile, she and her siblings were close and remain so today, even though they’ve scattered to different cities.
“We have a really good dynamic,” Susan said of her family. “We’re all really close. I guess that’s one of the reasons I was interested in Big Brothers Big Sisters.”
After graduating from Auburn University in 2008, Susan moved to Birmingham. In addition to working as a program assistant for Leadership Birmingham, she also wanted to find a meaningful way to volunteer her time.
A friend of her sister’s in Atlanta was volunteering for the Big Brother Big Sister program there, so Susan decided she’d check to see if Birmingham had one.
“I just called them up and asked what the process is,” she said. “Now I feel like I know just about everything about it.”
After filling out applications and going through the interview and background check process, Susan was paired with Little Sister Molley Elders of Hoover about three and half years ago. Since then, the two meet up a couple times a month and just do “girl” things. Though Molley will be a junior at Hoover High this year, Susan said they’re still close. Even when Molley graduates and will no longer be enrolled in the program, their relationship won’t end, Susan added.
“When she turns 18, it won’t be goodbye, have a nice life,” Susan said. “That won’t happen. This is something that you invest in for many years, for life, really.”
That is a goal of the program – to build meaningful relationships that will have a lasting effect on the lives of young people.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Birmingham, Inc. will honor Big and Little pairs like Susan and Molley while raising funds for the organization Aug. 25 at its first Night of Big Stars at the Alys Stephens Center.
In addition to a sit-down dinner, BBBS has partnered with UAB’s ArtPlay to co-direct an onstage production featuring talents of the some of the program’s Littles. Mollie will be among those performing.
Susan said her Little Sister loves to dance and sing. “She’s really great at it,” she said.
Susan is encouraging Molley to hone her talents in college after she graduates and is hoping Molley might choose Susan’s alma mater. But Molley is also looking at schools like the University of Montevallo for its art program.
Molley’s father enrolled her in the BBBS program when she was 13, hoping it could provide her with a positive female role model. The 16-year-old, who lives with her dad and brother, said it’s been nice to have Susan to go shopping with and even just to talk with.
“It’s nice to have a girl around,” Molley said. “We hang out or just go to the mall and walk around. I really like it.”
When the two first entered the program, Susan said she had more frequent contact with Molley’s dad and BBBS. But now that she and Molley are well acquainted with each other, they plan their own outings and time together.
“It varies, but we try to get together at least twice a month,” Susan said. “It’s harder now that she’s getting older. She’s busy and very active.
“When we first met, she was much more reserved and kind of pulled back when I asked her what she wanted to do. Now she just tells me. We talk about everything. She’s a really good girl.”
Susan said being a Big Sister can be time consuming, but for her it’s been worth every minute.
“It’s an emotionally big task,” Susan said. “I don’t encourage it if you’re at all wishy-washy about it. I felt going in this was an investment in for however many years it took. I guess for life, really.”
For more information about Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Birmingham or A Night of Big Stars, visit www.bbbsbhm.org.
A Night of Big Stars:
When: 6 p.m. Aug. 25
Where: Alys Stephens Performing Center
Details: This event is a fundraiser for BBBS so that it can continue to provide mentors to children in the Birmingham area. The evening includes a cocktail hour beginning at 6 p.m. followed by a seated dinner catered by Yellow Bicycle Catering Co. and a live onstage production. BBBS has partnered with ArtPlay, the newly expanded arts education and outreach program of UAB’s Alys Stephens Center, to co-direct a production showcasing BBBS’s talent. Event chairmen are Jim Stephens and Eddie Friend.
Information: Contact Rebecca Hunter, BBBS director of marketing and public relations, at [email protected] or 939-5590, ext. 23.
