Meet the match: Hunter and Peter

For the ninth consecutive year, New England’s World Champion Nose Tackle Vince Wilfork and The Safety Insurance 98.5 The Sports Hub New England Patriots Radio Network have teamed up with Mass Mentoring Partnership, to ensure that more young people are connected to caring adult mentors who will listen to them, stand by them and guide them. As a part of this initiative, Wilfork and 98.5 have extended invitations to mentor/mentee matches in the MMP network to attend a home game, and MMP chooses a match for each game based on the most compelling stories submitted. On game day, chosen matches are met by Bianca Wilfork and 98.5 The Sports Hub.

This is a highlight of a match that attended a home game this season.

Hunter Campbell, 12, and his mentor Peter Terenzi have been matched for more than three years through the Old Colony Y Big Sister Big Brother program in Brockton. They’ve had quite the year in sports, having called “play ball!” before the Red Sox game at Mentoring Night at Fenway in June 2012. Now, they were able to attend a Pats game courtesy of the Match of the Game initiative!

Hunter has dreams of getting into West Point someday, as he loves the military. Peter says he’s helped Hunter just by being with him, supporting him, and offering words of wisdom. He says, “it also keeps me young trying to do a lot of teenage stuff!”

Peter hopes to see Hunter graduate from college, especially West Point. He says they will always be a part of each other’s lives: “Once that bond is made, it’s hard to break.”

Meet the match: Deidra and Hayden

For the ninth consecutive year, New England’s World Champion Nose Tackle Vince Wilfork and The Safety Insurance 98.5 The Sports Hub New England Patriots Radio Network have teamed up with Mass Mentoring Partnership, to ensure that more young people are connected to caring adult mentors who will listen to them, stand by them and guide them. As a part of this initiative, Wilfork and 98.5 have extended invitations to mentor/mentee matches in the MMP network to attend a home game, and MMP chooses a match for each game based on the most compelling stories submitted. On game day, chosen matches are met by Bianca Wilfork and 98.5 The Sports Hub.

This is a highlight of a match that attended a home game this season.

Deidra Collins, 17 and her mentor Hayden Rockson rounded out their sports events experiences when they attended the Patriots game on Dec. 10. Having previously attended Celtics and Red Sox games, they were able to watch the Pats defeat the Texans through the Match of the Game program.

The pair have been matched for three years through Newton’s One to One Program.

Hayden says that Deidra, who has family and friends living in Honduras, has grown by leaps and bounds in her maturity since they’ve been matched. Previously, Hayden had struggled with making commitments because she’s been unsure of where she’ll be in the future.

“She has realized that one of the disappointments of growing up is that one has to make choices about time – that not every option will be possible, and that it’s OK to decide what *her* priorities will be,” says Hayden.

Hayden says they were matched because of their mutual interest in playing softball, and knew immediately they would click.

“Despite our age difference, I consider Deidra a true friend,” says Hayden. “We both talk about challenges we face in life, and she has provided some
terrific insights into things I’ve brought up. I hope I can say I’ve done the same for her.”

Hayden continues, “I know we both feel that the past three years have made a hugely positive impact on both of our lives. Working with Deidra has made me even more enthusiastic about mentoring, and it’s something I hope can enrich the lives of my future children some day.”

Meet the match: Spencer and Owen

For the ninth consecutive year, New England’s World Champion Nose Tackle Vince Wilfork and The Safety Insurance 98.5 The Sports Hub New England Patriots Radio Network have teamed up with Mass Mentoring Partnership, to ensure that more young people are connected to caring adult mentors who will listen to them, stand by them and guide them. As a part of this initiative, Wilfork and 98.5 have extended invitations to mentor/mentee matches in the MMP network to attend a home game, and MMP chooses a match for each game based on the most compelling stories submitted. On game day, chosen matches are met by Bianca Wilfork and 98.5 The Sports Hub.

This is a highlight of a match that attended a home game this season.

Spencer Holmes, 13 and his mentor Owen Carr, matched through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central MA/Metrowest, were the latest lucky pair to attend a Patriots game through the Match of the Game program.

They’ve been matched for almost three years, and Owen realizes the impact that a caring adult can have on a young person’s life.

“I’ve really enjoyed the activities that we do together,” he says. “I also feel good about investing time – our most precious resource – rather than just money for this important cause. I have fond memories of the time that my father and I spent together at this age and the positive impact it had which has carried into my adult life.”

The two enjoy a wide range of activities together: movies, bowling, attending sporting events, woodworking, home improvement projects, music, boating and aviation.

Meet the match: Jose and Jesse

For the ninth consecutive year, New England’s World Champion Nose Tackle Vince Wilfork and The Safety Insurance 98.5 The Sports Hub New England Patriots Radio Network have teamed up with Mass Mentoring Partnership, to ensure that more young people are connected to caring adult mentors who will listen to them, stand by them and guide them. As a part of this initiative, Wilfork and 98.5 have extended invitations to mentor/mentee matches in the MMP network to attend a home game, and MMP chooses a match for each game based on the most compelling stories submitted. On game day, chosen matches are met by Bianca Wilfork and 98.5 The Sports Hub.

This is a highlight of a match that attended a home game this season.

10-year-old Jose Burgos attended his first-ever Patriots game on Nov. 11 with his mentor Jesse Lockwood. They’ve been matched almost two years through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay.

Jose had been dealing with tough personal issues when he was matched with Jesse. Over time though, Jesse has been able to provide stability and consistency in Jose’s life.

“I strive to teach Jose patience and kindness all while maintaining a fun friendship,” Jesse says. “I have seen his confidence grow tremendously over the last year alone.”

Jesse says that his match relationship has taught him about responsibility, patience, and consideration. He feels that Jose has learned from him, too!

“I think Jose has learned trust, patience and appreciation,” Jesse says. “He is always considerate when we go out. He counts on me to be there when I say I will, and I count on him to talk to and have fun with!”

Their favorite activities involve the outdoors – playing football, baseball and soccer. They’ve also toured Fenway, visited the aquarium and spend their time talking and having fun.

The two plan to stay in contact no matter what, and Jesse says he would love to be a permanent presence in Jose’s life. In fact, their relationship has been so mutually beneficial that Jesse is now working on getting his other friends to become Big Brothers!

Concludes Jesse, “My wish for Jose is to do well in school and go to college.”

As one of the largest adult-to-child mentoring organizations in the nation, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay currently serves close to 2,000 youth in one-to-one relationships, with a service area encompassing 155 cities and towns throughout the Massachusetts Bay area. For more information: www.bbbsmb.org.

Meet the match: Alexyss and Elizabeth

For the ninth consecutive year, New England’s World Champion Nose Tackle Vince Wilfork and The Safety Insurance 98.5 The Sports Hub New England Patriots Radio Network have teamed up with Mass Mentoring Partnership, to ensure that more young people are connected to caring adult mentors who will listen to them, stand by them and guide them. As a part of this initiative, Wilfork and 98.5 have extended invitations to mentor/mentee matches in the MMP network to attend a home game, and MMP chooses a match for each game based on the most compelling stories submitted. On game day, chosen matches are met by Bianca Wilfork and 98.5 The Sports Hub.

Alexyss Valez, 14, got to experience the thrills of a Patriots game on Oct. 21 with her mentor Elizabeth Coy. They have been matched for more than two years through Big Friends Little Friends/Family Service Inc. of Lawrence.

Elizabeth says that Alexyss was dealing with numerous tough issues when they were initially matched. Over the course of their relationship though, Alexyss has truly blossomed.

“Her life is headed in a much more positive direction,” Elizabeth says. “She has greatly improved in school…and she’s generally made better choices to make her life better.”

From Elizabeth’s perspective, she has relished Alexyss’ ability to better control her emotions and communicate more clearly.

“To know that I have had even the smallest positive impact on this young woman who has had more struggles in her young life than many do in a lifetime makes me feel overwhelmed with gratitude that I am able to help,” Elizabeth says.

The two enjoy doing “anything where we can talk,” Elizabeth says. That includes grabbing a bite to eat, watching sports, and shopping, as well as sharing their love for music and photography.

Elizabeth hopes, “My goal is that we stay friends forever. I have a friend for life and it makes my heart fuller helping and being a mentor for Alexyss.”

Big Friends Little Friends is a youth mentoring program that matches caring adult mentors with young people who could benefit from a relationship with a positive adult role model.  The goal of the program is to develop the positive potential of young people by providing them with support, guidance and friendship.  Big Friends Little Friends serves 15 towns in the Merrimack Valley. For more information: http://www.familyserviceinc.com/WhatWeDo/BFLFOverview.html.