Santy & Sarah

Originally from Thailand, Big Sister Santy Alexander now lives in Holyoke with her husband and her dog.  She travels the greater Springfield area every day representing Lilly USA.  But once a week, she makes a special stop at McMahon Elementary School for thirty minutes to meet for lunch with her Little Sister.

When asked why she became a Big, Santy says “I wanted to volunteer my time and give back.  I love kids and being able to help them.  Now I have time in my schedule to volunteer, so I decided to be a Big.  It’s 30 minutes each week, which is easy to do.”

Sarah, age 9, is very excited that her Big Sister came into her life.  “Having Santy gives me a lunch companion.  We play games like Tic Tac Toe, Jenga, and Boggle.  I really like Boggle!”

But while their lunchtime together means so much to Sarah, it also makes a difference in Santy’s life as well.  “I think Sarah is a smart girl, and I enjoy spending time with her whether we’re reading, playing games, or talking.  I like having her as a friend and that she shares with me what she does with her family.”

So it looks like this pair will keep the good times rolling as they meet up for just thirty minutes to read, play games, or simply talk to catch up on what’s happening in life.