Being a brother a big deal

WASILLA — Parents of young children know the feeling — what you thought was a one-way street of mentoring and guidance turns out to be a learning experience as well.

Damon Hampel, a big brother with the Valley’s Big Brothers Big Sisters mentorship program knows this.

“They’re just smaller adults. I really kids have a lot more understanding than we give them credit for,” he said.

Hampel, a state park ranger stationed in the Mat-Su, said he got into the program because he and his wife thought they both had something to offer as mentors. Though they’ve only been volunteering for eight months, both are on their second “matches.” His wife’s first match moved out of state and his first wanted to spend more time with his family.

“I thought that was pretty mature for a young man,” Hampel said in the conference room of state parks department’s Mat-Su headquarters on Finger Lake.

He said he’s really enjoyed the program and his little brother, Kainan Miller. In his job as a ranger he sometimes puts on classes for kids, something he’s done at other jobs, too.

Rita Goetz, the Big Brothers Big Sisters director of development, recruitment and partnership, said Hampel is a great “big.”

“We need more big brothers like him,” she said.

In fact, they could use more big brothers in general, as there are 18 little brothers waiting for a match.

The program fluctuates between 25 and 30 matches, she said. The commitment is for a year and the program encourages two visits a month, but there’s no maximum number of times a person can hang out with his or her “little.”

Hampel said he tries to see that twice-a-month suggestion as a minimum number and has only had a problem reaching it during the holidays, but he made sure to make extra time for his brother after New Year’s.

It can be tough to find the time — he works a nontraditional schedule with his weekend on Monday and Tuesday. But it’s not like he doesn’t want to make the time to be a big brother.

“I haven’t had any time where it’s been, ‘Oh, I don’t want to do it,’” he said.

Goetz said potential volunteers sometimes worry they won’t have the time or money to take on the responsibility.

“We try to find activities that are free or try to get businesses to offer two-for-one deals so that they can go out and do different things,” Goetz said.

Hampel came to Alaska about seven years ago and worked as curator of a tribal hatchery and eagle center in Ketchikan. After four years he came to work in on the mainland, spending a year in graduate school. He did education work in Bush Alaska and worked at the Campbell Creek Science Center.

He said he doesn’t have kids of his own yet. The couple plans to have a family and also is looking into fostering children.

The organization is gearing up for its big fundraising event, Bowl for Kids’ Sake, March 22 at North Bowl. People who want to participate can create a team at bbbsak.org/bowl. They can also go there to donate.

Contact Andrew Wellner at 352-2270

or andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com.