What's new at the Buddy Program . . .

Join us for ArtAspen's OPENING PREVIEW PARTY

An opportunity to gather and buy/sell world-class contemporary art in Aspen

Thursday, August 5th, 5pm - 8pm

$75 per person at the door or purchase advanced tickets online

All proceeds benefit the Buddy Program

Aspen casual attire

August 6th - 8th, ArtAspen will be hosting the Fine Art Fair for Contemporary Art at the Aspen Ice Garden: the first ever fine art fair for important mid 20th and 21st century art. Aspen's largest selection ever, over 2,000 significant pieces from some 300 acclaimed artists. This is an extraordinary event you will not want to miss!

Please join us and be the first to witness the widest selection of modern and contemporary art at the Opening Preview Party, with 100% of ticket sales benefiting the Buddy Program. While you peruse over $200 million of investment-level art, you will enjoy delicious food, wine and spirits. Network, socialize or simply attend to support our valley's leading mentoring organization.

To purchase tickets for this exclusive preview party, please click here. If you missed Boogie's Bash for the Buddies, this is another great opportunity to support the Buddy Program and our community. We hope to see you there!

 The Buddy Program is now seeking Big Buddies in Carbondale!

Pilot Program to Launch Fall 2010

Since 2004, the Roaring Fork School District has collaborated with the Buddy Program to bring powerful mentoring programs into schools, positively impacting 146 students annually.  The longevity and success of these programs is the main rationale behind expanding the Buddy Program services into the schools in Carbondale.  In addition to providing a mentor, expansion into Carbondale schools ensures students have access to the support services the Buddy Program provides.

Interested in becoming a Big Buddy in Carbondale? Click here to fill out an application or please contact Heather Hicks at (970) 920-2130 or heather@buddyprogram.org. Please contact Heather or fill out your application by August 13th. Thank you for your interest!

Why Carbondale?

The Buddy Program has identified Carbondale as an area of need. Acknowledging this need are the counselors and administrators at the three schools we will serve in this pilot program: Roaring Fork High School, Carbondale Middle School and Crystal River Elementary. In the Roaring Fork School District, a large number of families experience a great disparity between their income and the area’s cost of living. This reality results in many at-risk students as parents work multiple jobs, commute long distances, and use much of their economic resources to support only basic needs for their families.

School counselors have identified ten students at Crystal River Elementary School to match with ten Roaring Fork High School students in the fall in a Peer-to-Peer Mentoring Program.  The Buddy Program staff is currently seeking five adult mentors for the School-based Mentoring Program at Carbondale Middle School which is being piloted in the fall as well.  These mentors will meet with their 7th or 8th grade Little Buddy once weekly for the school year.

 Latino Youth Camp

 On June 14th - June 18th, thirty one local Latino youth participated in the Buddy Program's Latino Youth Camp in Moab, Utah! The youth participants combined challenging physical activities with a supportive group environment to jump-start self-esteem and propel personal development. These daily activities challenged the children to tackle new and daunting obstacles, and rely on the encouragement provided by their peers and counselor, the group's mentor, to achieve success. In the evening Rap Sessions, facilitators create an environment of acceptance, support and guidance where participants were again challenged to transform the day's successes into the confidence they need to confront and overcome the obstacles they face at home.

Learn about the Buddy Program's mission and the importance of mentoring by watching this great Plum TV video.

Testimonials

"We [my Little Buddy and I] get together once a week. We do homework, hang out, go on hikes, camp out and play Frisbee golf. He's my most fun day of the week." ~ Peter Waanders, Big Buddy

"I have to commend you on the wonderful job your team has done pairing us as Buddies together. My Little Buddy reminds me of myself when I was a little girl. So far, we have gone ice-skating, on a sleigh ride, gone to Boogie's Diner twice, and done tons of swimming. My Little Buddy is a fish, and we stay in the pool way until we turn into raisins! It is awesome to have some fun to look forward to every weekend with my Little Buddy." ~ Elizabeth, Big Buddy

“The Roaring Fork School District enthusiastically supports the Buddy Program. There are so many students in need of adult mentors in order to stay focused on doing well in school and being a positive member of their communities.  These young people will hopefully complete their education in our schools and go on to be active, positive contributors in our communities. Many of these young people will not realize these goals without support from the inspiring role models that the Buddy Program provides them." ~ Judy Haptonstall, RFSD Superintendent

"Every kid needs someone to talk to, an example to follow and a little guidance every now and then, and every adult could use a reminder from a kid about how to loosen up and to make having fun the priority in life that it really is." ~ Dr. Bill Boehm, Big Buddy