Xavier O’Neil, 10, got a Christmas surprise of a lifetime this year. Xavier and his mom Carrie Saunders were in the process of moving, and Carrie had told her son that there probably wouldn’t be a tree. However, when they made it to their new home, a seven-foot live tree, fully trimmed, stood in their new home — courtesy of Big Brothers Big Sisters supporter Elizabeth George of Langley.
“It all came full circle,” said Big Brothers Big Sisters executive director Peggy Dyer. “Each year during the Festival of Trees, we auction off trees to raise money for our mission. This year, Ms. George and her husband purchased a tree, supporting the agency, but then gifted the tree to a family in our agency who wouldn’t have had a tree otherwise.”
It was a prime example, Dyer said, of how the entire community works together to improve the lives of kids.
Each December, the Festival of Trees raises money in Island County to support the agency’s mission to match children with caring adults — a mission that the agency has been carrying out for 12 years.
Saunders had the tree put into their new home without telling Xavier. When Xavier walked in, he first didn’t realize there was a tree.
“But then he saw it. His eyes lit up. He was so extremely excited,” Saunders said. The story about the tree was also the first thing Xavier told his Big Brother Mike when he called him from Arizona on Christmas.
Xavier has been a Little Brother through the mentoring agency for about eight months. Raised by a single mom, Xavier and his mom thought it couldn’t hurt to have another male role model in Xavier’s life.
The mentoring agency matched Xavier with Seth Sobottka, a senior at South Whidbey High School, in their school-based program. It was a success. Shortly after matching Xavier, his teacher called the match “dynamite.” Inspired by the success of this match, Xavier decided he would like a community-based Big Brother, and he was matched with Mike Mellison.
“I remember introducing the two. I wasn’t sure if Xavier was too thrilled at first, but soon after they clicked,” recalled Michaela Marx Wheatley, the nonprofit’s South Whidbey site director.
“Mike and Seth have been a blessing,” Saunders added. “Xavier is so excited when Seth comes to see him at school. And Mike — he has been an inspiration. I want to thank you for getting Mike into Xavier’s life,” he said Mike is so responsive, he makes sure he does an activity almost every week. He is an incredible tennis player, bike rider, all kinds of things. Mike has taken Xavier to Seafair and on long bike trail rides in the Seattle area. Xavier is so happy,” she said.
Dyer said each year, the Festival of Trees underscores what it takes to keep the program going, but also highlights the successes that have been achieved in the past year and through the past decade.
This year, Bill Phillips of White Rain Studio produced a video that gave the Bigs and Littles a voice at the event, giving the guests an idea how positively mentorship has affected their lives.
“It brought happy tears to the eyes of some guests, but I also saw some of my staff wiping their eyes,” Dyer recalled. “Seeing those guys talk about how much they care for each other and their friendship was inspiring.”
To volunteer, learn more about BBBS or to donate, click here , or contact the agency at bbbs@whidbey.net, or call 360-279-0644 for North and Central Whidbey or e-mail mwheatley@sw.wednet.edu or call her at 221-6808, ext. 5417 on South Whidbey.
