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January is National Mentoring Month! How many of you know this by now? I hope the word has spread like wildfire! STARS Mentoring has put in a big effort into letting our whole Freeborn and eastern Faribault community know about our mentoring program. How many people have seen the three billboards in Albert Lea?

As January comes to a close for another mentoring month celebration, I want to extend a hearty thank you to all the people involved in helping make our mentoring month a success. Here is a list of the people and places I want to thank:

• Mayor Rich Murray, for signing your first ever proclamation for our city of Albert Lea — January Mentoring Month at the Jan. 9 City Council meeting.

• Mayor David Braun, for signing the January Mentoring Month Proclamation for the city of Wells at the Jan. 9 City Council Meeting and board member Ric Staloch for attending the meeting representing STARS.

• Albert Lea Tribune, Alex Guerrero and Michelle Rasmussen for the wonderful article and interview in the newspaper along with the advertisement.

• KATE Radio, to Mike Woitas and Courtnay Doyle for the “on air” interviews with me this month and Sindi Fulton for helping organize advertising on KATE & KCPI Radio for STARS.

• Reagan Outdoor Advertising, Roxanne Birr, for putting two static billboards into production in downtown Albert Lea.

• Markquart Advertising, Amy Duchel, for the digital billboard advertising out on Bridge Street.

• Wedgewood Cove, Tina Kermes, for hosting our annual Mentor Appreciation Dinner.

• United Way for sponsoring the Mentoring Appreciation Dinner and billboards around town.

• Albert Lea City Arena for hosting our Ice Skating/Pizza Party Group Event for our mentors and mentees.

• Facebook social media, Taylor McCullough, board member, for daily posts on Facebook throughout the month.

• If I failed to thank anyone else that has helped with the January Mentoring Month, I thank you kindly.

If anyone would like to visit with me about STARS Mentoring program, I will happily sit down with you over a cup of coffee or hot chocolate and let you know about the details of you becoming a mentor or enrolling your child in our program. Call me at 507-383-5272 or email me at starsforkids@yahoo.com. Or, look us up on www.starsforkids.org or Facebook: Stars for Kids.

Become a mentor, Become a STAR in a youth’s life!

Mary Jo Volkman
program coordinator
STARS Mentoring