August 9, 2006
Heroes In Our Midst Reinforces Tradition of Connecting to Others
“Heroes In Our Midst” is a national program sponsored by the Greeting Card Association to reinforce the tradition of connecting with others, and to encourage Americans to reach out to the everyday heroes in their own lives through card sending. The program, which recognizes one Hero in Our Midst each month, has helped to generate hundreds of cards for community and personal heroes.
“This program is all about the rewards of connecting to others and building human ties. We believe exchanging greeting cards is one of America’s most cherished traditions for connecting to others,” said Juliette Bogus, Heroes In Our Midst spokesperson. “Americans everywhere have a special card story of how someone impacted their life or created a lasting bond or shared memory through a greeting card.”
“We hope that in honoring Patrick Wiese for his mentoring role as a Big Brother and making a difference in someone’s life, others will be inspired to make special connections with the heroes in their own lives,” Bogus added.
Wiese, who is a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Idaho, received a special medallion greeting card, a ceremonial check for $1,000, and hundreds of cards from Boise Hawks fans during Wednesday night’s ceremony. The $1,000 check will be donated in Wiese’s name to the local Big Brothers Big Sisters agency to support similar mentoring matches in the community.
After Wiese accepted the Heroes In Our Midst award, his “Little Brother” Brennan Buck read his own greeting card to Wiese, thanking him for being a positive role model and influence in his life over the last 11 years.
“When you become a mentor, you get as much out of the relationship as the Little,” said Wiese. “I think that every person should take the time to connect with someone special in their life or community. There are everyday heroes everywhere.”
Brennan has been paired with Wiese since kindergarten and attributes his improved grades throughout his schooling to the mentoring efforts of his Big. He is now 18, and heading to college this fall to study drama.
Brennan says he hopes that people from all over Idaho will send thousands of cards expressing their appreciation for his role model and Big Brother. Cards should be addressed to:
Patrick Wiese
2995 N. Cole Road, Suite 120
Boise, Idaho 83704
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America officials say Wiese has been a positive male role model to Brennan and leads by example. He has worked with the teenager to help him make smart life decisions and improve his grades. “Although I’m going away to college this fall,” says Brennan, I know that Patrick and I will keep in touch with each other. We’re friends for life.”
Heroes In Our Midst representatives say they hope area residents will be inspired not only to send a card to Wiese, but to become everyday heroes themselves, by reaching out to others through the type of personal interaction and caring that cards provide.
To learn more about Heroes In Our Midst and its goal of encouraging America’s to connect through card-sending, visit www.HeroesInOurMidst.org.
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Big Brothers Big Sisters is the oldest, largest and most effective youth mentoring organization in the U.S. It has been the leader in one-to-one youth service for more than a century, developing positive relationships that have a direct and lasting impact of the lives of young people. Big Brothers Big Sisters serves 240,000 children, ages 6 through 18, in all 50 states. The national offices are located in Philadelphia. To volunteer or donate, visit www.bbbsa.org.
The Greeting Card Association, headquartered in Washington, DC, represents nearly 300 U.S. and international greeting card publishers and suppliers. It is dedicated to celebrating, promoting and preserving the tradition and cultural values of exchanging greeting cards.