Jeff Russell Runs the Boston Marathon for Mass Mentoring!

I have seen first-hand from hundreds of cases the absolute life-altering impact mentoring has on a child! There is one that I continue to be most impressed and frankly moved by… it is Iraimi and Erin. This relationship created for Iraimi a most beautiful transition from a scared child to a confident, successful young adult.

Iraimi became involved with my organization, the Old Colony YMCA, at the age of 14. Her family came to our Family Life Center, (a program for families experiencing homelessness), after years of transiency. When Iraimi arrived, she was a scared, insecure, and an untrusting young adult. While with us, Iraimi was mentored by our Director, Erin. I watched with pride as Erin became a major support (mentor) to Iraimi by caring and creating opportunities for Iraimi to experience and from which she could learn.

Now, eight years later, Iraimi has truly exceeded expectations and will graduate from Wheaton College this May with academic honors. Interestingly enough, Iraimi reports the importance of mentoring as the “little things” that Erin did for her. The unconditional support, asking how her day was, trips to the Y for a shared work-out, phone calls before a major exam, and sitting in the office and just talking about the day… were all the aspects Iraimi views as the most important element of mentoring. Erin will accept no credit for the remarkable individual Iraimi has become and simply and humbly states, “All I did was listen to her, care about her (a great deal!), have her believe in herself and open some doors for her to exceed her potential.”

I could not be more proud of the two of them. A most wonderful example of mentoring where both gained so much from each other.

Mass Mentoring Partnership is a well-run agency that I applaud and in which I believe. Through their work with over 190 mentoring organizations (of which the Old Colony YMCA is one) they focus on fueling the growth of quality youth mentoring in Massachusetts by providing training, securing funding, collecting relevant data, and engaging employers on strategies to encourage their employees to become mentors. I believe so much in mentoring that I have accepted MMP's invitation to assist them in raising funds to support mentoring by running the 166th Boston Marathon. I am extremely proud to be working with the Mass Mentoring Partnership and look forward to assisting them by reaching my goal of $10,000 and completing the race.