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Anton Bogdan & Mitchell
Mitchell is a gentle, friendly, and enthusiastic kid. He is open to new experiences and wants to learn. And this is where I play my role - mentor - even though most of the time we are like brothers. According to Jennie, Mitchell's mom, he is willing to learn many more new things that are presented to him than he would have before. My grandfather taught me that hard work is the foundation of every person - his success, health, and good citizenship. He worked hard in many roles in his life, but the one I had a chance to assist him with was growing crops. I remember many summer days when we would get up with the sun to work on our piece of land. The results of our work we saw on the table during the winter. My grandfather does not grow crops anymore, nor do I, but what I learned in helping him is at the core of my successes. Mitchell and I have been matched on September 8th, 2005. There are many things we have done together and now have a lot of memories. One day we got up early and headed to Arlington's Portage Creek Wildlife Area to volunteer at Earth Day Tree Planting event. It was a hot, sunny summer day full of hard work, and in the end a newly renovated piece of environment. There are many other get-togethers that stand out: going to the Wild Waves, going ice skating, attending Silver Tips games, hanging out at a local park, and watching a movie together are some of the things that both of us enjoy a lot. "The match is perfect!" said Jennie, Mitchell's mother. "I could not have asked for a better Big Brother for Mitchell. Mitchell always has something fun to tell me when he gets home from spending time with Anton. Whether it is going to a Silver Tips game or watching a movie. Mitchell feels safe and cared for with Anton. It does my heart great to know that Mitchell has a great time being with Anton and I know that Mitchell is safe with such a great guy" she added. This makes me happy, the fact that Jennie appreciates my effort and also the fact that her and I can openly talk about it. Both of us enjoy being matched. For me it is the sense of satisfaction I get from watching Mitchell grow up and become a good person. For him it is a sense of being cared for, all the fun times we have together, and the lessons that I teach him (some he has yet to understand). Just like my grandfather taught me the lesson about hard work, I too hope that one day Mitchell will understand this very important life-lesson. Maybe one day, years from now, I will take him back to Portage Creek and we will enjoy the beautiful nature scenery that my grandfather shared with me so long ago.
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Hard
work sowing seeds also feeds the soul