AUBURN – The Child Health Center’s Big Brothers Big Sisters program is looking for volunteers to act as Big Brothers and Big Sisters in their site-based programs as well as the traditional community-based program.

The school-based programs will run throughout the remainder of the 2007-2008 school year in Androscoggin, Oxford and southern Franklin counties. The community-based program is a continuous program that services children throughout Androscoggin and Oxford counties all year round.

In the site-based program, each volunteer will be carefully screened and trained before being matched with a Little Brother or Sister in a local elementary or middle school. The Big and Little will meet for one hour a week at the Little’s school. During this time Big will work with their Little on school work, spend time playing games and talking to form bonds that help the child grow and develop positive attitudes.

In the community-based program, adults are matched with local children ages 8 to 12 and spend six hours a month participating in a wide variety of activities that interest both the Big and the Little. In addition they share life’s experiences and aspirations.

Diane Blanchard, community match coordinator, said there is a specific need for Big Sisters who would like to be matched with girls in the middle schools. The need is for four Big Sisters in the Auburn, six in Poland and five in the Oxford Hills area.

Contact the Big Brothers Big Sisters office at 782-5437 in Androscoggin and southern Franklin County and 743-7035 in Oxford County. Big Brothers Big Sisters is a program of the Child Health Center, a nonprofit organization striving to improve the lives of children and their families