(BBBS Lacombe)

By Josh Hall | @Vancan19

40 Mentors in 40 Days / duck drop

Big Brothers Big Sisters in Lacombe and across central Alberta need YOU!

Sep 16, 2025 | 1:43 PM

Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) Lacombe wants you to consider becoming a mentor.

The commitment is a minimum of one hour per week spending time with your ‘little,’ with the call coming as the Lacombe branch of BBBS runs a campaign called 40 Mentors in 40 Days.

The campaign coincides with Big Brothers Big Sisters Month in September, and Big Brothers Big Sisters Day on Sept. 18.

Brianna Berthiaume, executive director of the Lacombe chapter, says signing on can be life-changing for both mentor and mentee.

“There are never going to be enough volunteers to come through the doors to serve our youth. Who doesn’t want an extra role model in their lives to celebrate their successes and be there for life experiences?” says Berthiaume.

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“As an organization, we know we are serving youth who need it the most, and so we match based on compatibility. Through our collection of data and statistics, we know that adverse childhood experiences occur, in most youth, about 3.2 times. We serve youth who have closer to six adverse experiences.”

With a waitlist of about 40 kids, Lacombe branch has served 430 youth this year — including in the city of Lacombe, Lacombe County and Blackfalds.

As part of the month-long campaign, BBBS Lacombe is also overseeing a local organizing of ‘Turn the Town Teal,’ which provides partner businesses with a package to decorate their storefront with BBBS signage.

As well, they are hosting their second annual Rubber Duck Drop, Sept. 27 at Sterling Industries Sports Park in Blackfalds, from 12-2:30 p.m.

With 1,300 ducks to drop from a helicopter, and each one costing $10, the winner will take home half the pot, while the other half supports BBBS Lacombe.

There will be a bouncy castle and backyard games, concession, silent auction, fire truck and police displays, and more.

To sign up to be a mentor, visit here, and for more on the second annual duck drop, click here.

Meantime, there are other events happening this month, put on by BBBS Red Deer, which is celebrating 50 years in 2026.

• * MEGABike event is being hosted by the Troubled Monk from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Drop by, have fun and jump on a 30-person MEGABike for a 1.3 km escorted tour downtown beginning and ending at the Troubled Monk.
• * City Hall Fun In the Park from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with a variety of games and activities.
• * City Hall Lighting. At 7:20 p.m. (dusk) Red Deer City Hall will light up in Teal to celebrate Big Brothers Big Sisters Day. Come join us in the park as we celebrate.
• * Turn the Town Teal. Local businesses have partnered with BBBS Red Deer to celebrate throughout the month of September by displaying information about BBBS with on location collector “Teal Big Piggies”.

There are nearly 100 kids seeking mentors in Red Deer. More here.