Big Brothers Big Sisters West Island 23rd Annual Valentine's Brunch

The Big Brothers Sisters of the West Island (BBBSWI) Valentine's Day Charity Breakfast is in its 23rd year in Dorval.

The organization matches senior volunteers with young people. The two embark on a year-long partnership that includes a scheduled visit twice a month, lasting a few hours each.

The annual breakfast is held annually at Jack Astor's Dorval.

Little brother Mikey says, “You always have someone you can count on.”

This sentiment is shared by his sister, Emily Battet, in the program. “So he looks like my little brother. I don't have any younger siblings. My family all live elsewhere, so I don't have many young families around.

“Honestly, it's pretty good. He seems to have a little brother. It's very interesting. It keeps me young, doing things I would never do without it.”

Valentino Pietrantonio is Executive Director of BBBSWI. “This is a major fundraiser for the organization. This year marks the 24th anniversary of our Valentine's Breakfast.

“This is an opportunity to thank the community for their support on Valentine's Day in mid-February, where we celebrate the love and generosity of the community in their support of the agency. Proceeds from this event primarily support our mentoring programs.”

Stacey Kertzer is the bar manager at Jack Astor's Dorval restaurant.

“All my staff are volunteers,” Kertzer said. “I was here at 5am and they got here at 5.30am and I have seven volunteers plus my kitchen manager and general manager cooking for everyone. From 5 to 10 o'clock.

“Then we have to rebuild the restaurant and get ready for lunch for the 11:30 service.”

Julia Chiarella-Genoni is a West Island resident and BBBSWI supporter.

“Oh, I come here every year,” he said. “I think it's the best way to start Valentine's Day and I love supporting the community. Big Brothers Big Sisters is a great organization, so I'm happy to be here.”

“A lot of people are hesitant to join a program because they think it's going to take too much time or they're worried they won't have enough time,” Battet added. “But you'll find that it's very easy to fit it into your schedule for a few hours once a fortnight or once a week.

“You know, you always find time in your day and it's really fun. It is not a burden. It doesn't feel like a volunteer. It's really good, so I would encourage anyone to do it.”

Kertzer shares, “It's such a warm and fuzzy feeling to give back to the community and help a West Island nonprofit do better for kids.

Pietrantonio explains, “We have four mentoring programs at the agency and we use the proceeds to fund the development of the programs.

“There is a constant need for volunteers who are able to support young people in our community, and this need only increases as the needs in the community change over time.

“But we're always looking for new volunteers, and I would say with a particular focus on male volunteers, because we have a longer waiting list on the men's side and there's a particular focus on male volunteers as well.”