I am pleased to announce that I have recently been recognized by the national “Mayors for Mentoring” program – I am the second mayor in Wisconsin to receive this honor. My thanks to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Sheboygan County for nominating me for this award. In my eyes it is essential to invest in our community’s wellbeing and strive for continuous improvement to make a better life for all residents. As many of you know, I began my community involvement as a member of the Sheboygan Jaycees, serving as President. I have also served on the boards of several important community organizations including Board Chair of Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Board of the Downtown Rotary Club, the Sheboygan YMCA Board, and the United Way Campaign Cabinet.
During my time as Mayor, I have supported mentoring by issuing a proclamation each January for National Mentoring Month, and scheduling mentoring organizations to receive this proclamation and speak at a Common Council meeting about their program. This year we’re recognizing Big Brothers Big Sisters of Sheboygan County, who will join me at the Common Council meeting on Monday, January 4, 2021. I ask you to take a moment and watch the following video from Big Brothers Big Sisters which highlights a Big/Little match, the goals and impact of their friendship.
I encourage City staff members to participate in mentoring programs such as Big Brothers Big Sisters. We are currently promoting a program called “Bigs with Badges” and I encourage you too to think about getting involved. It is amazing to see the difference that mentoring makes in the lives of the youth in Sheboygan. Thank you very much!
-Mayor Mike Vandersteen