Vernon Resident Helping to Raise Money for Big Brothers Big Sisters

Vernon resident Karen Perham-Lippman and her Little Sister Alyssa through the Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters program are fundraising so that more people can take part in the program that helped forge a close bond between the two

Alyssa, 10, is a 5th-grade student in New Britain and Perham-Lippman is the manager of community investment at Comcast . The two first met at the Beyond School Walls mentoring program.

The two are now working to raise money so more people can have similar close connections.

“I love the match that Karen and I have,” Alyssa said. “It’s helped me so much. When I learned that money is needed to make matches like the one we have, I thought it would be cool to tell everybody at the gala about our match, but also to find some way to raise money for Nutmeg so lots of other kids could benefit from awesome matches just like the one Karen and I have.”

“As we talked,” Perham-Lippman said, “I suddenly realized that Alyssa didn’t understand what a fundraiser was. She had never taken part in one before. When I explained the purpose of a fundraiser, and that Nutmeg was hosting one in order to be able to enroll more deserving children in its programs, I saw a spark in Alyssa’s eyes.”

The two launched the “Please Sponsor My Speech” effort in preparation for the Nov. 14 Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters’ 2014 “Start Something Big” Gala. More information about how to donate can be found here.

“I’m getting super nervous about standing at the microphone and talking to everybody,” Alyssa admitted, “but, with people supporting me with their generous donations I’ll be thinking about that and am totally sure I’ll do just fine.”

Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters is an affiliate of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.

The Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters “Start Something Big” Gala will be held on Friday evening November 14 at the Hartford Golf Club in West Hartford beginning at 6:00 p.m. Learn more by e-mailing Katie Breslin at: kbreslin@bbbsnutmeg.org. Her toll-free phone number is: 1-800-237-5437, ext. 141.