Indy Racing League, Iowa 
Speedway donate $5,000 to BBBS

The Indy Racing League and the Iowa Speedway presented the Jasper County Area Office of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Iowa with a $5,000 check at the Iowa Corn Indy 250 Event on June 21.

Indy driver Ed Carpenter presented the donation to Family Match Kevin and Toni Peska along with their Little Brother Zakk Weatherly. The Peskas — along with their daughter’s Tara, Rachel and Taylor — are mentors to Zakk. Taylor originally started mentoring Zakk as a school-based mentor when she was a high school student.  The family then decided to mentor Zakk, and they took the necessary steps to become Zakk’s Family Match in the community-based program. All three daughters have been or are currently mentors in the school-based program in addition to mentoring Zakk with their parents.

BBBS received the $5,000 donation by partnering with the Indy Racing League and the Iowa Speedway in the distribution of the banners and posters for the race throughout Iowa. Many volunteers were instrumental in the efforts. In addition, tickets to the race were also donated by the IRL.

Big Brothers Big Sisters champions mentoring by connecting youth with role models for proven, positive results. The Jasper County area office offers community- and school-based mentoring. The community-based program offers adults the opportunity to spend time with a child participating in activities they both enjoy and asks for a minimum of four hours per month. The school-based program is offered in the Newton and Colfax-Mingo school districts. Volunteers ranging in age from 16 to senior citizens mentor elementary children at school once a week for 30 minutes. Both programs help youth to gain the assets they need to be successful at school and in life.

Anyone who is interested in learning more about the programs available through BBBS is encouraged to contact Kelli Van Manen or Cathy Wignall at (641) 792-4077 or by e-mail at kvanmanen@bbbsia.org.