January 4, 2008
Mentoring can change the world
LANSING - To celebrate mentoring month, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm invited First Gentleman Daniel G. Mulhern to use today's weekly radio address to emphasize the importance of mentoring. Governor Granholm has proclaimed January as Michigan Mentoring Month.
In his radio address, Mulhern underlined the benefits of mentoring for both mentors and mentees. He promised that by becoming a mentor, citizens can change not just one life, but their own lives, as well.
"Become a mentor, and you will change the world," Mulhern said. "I'm amazed that the simple commitment of as little as an hour a week in a school mentoring program can change lives. Mentored children are absent less, do better in school, enjoy better friendships, and are less likely at an early age to drink, smoke, or experiment with drugs."
Mulhern said that mentees often lack what most of us take for granted - someone who consistently sees the good in them, helps them to understand their world, and listens. He said children sometimes just need a champion in their corner, a listening ear, an encouraging word, a consistent friend.
The governor, first gentleman and two of their children are mentors. For more information on mentoring, call 2-1-1 or go online to www.mentormichigan.org.
The governor's weekly radio address is released each Friday morning and may be heard on broadcast stations across the state. The address is available on the governor's Web site (
www.michigan.gov/gov
) for download, together with a clip of the quote above. The radio address is also available as a podcast on the Web site, as well as on iTunes and via RSS feed for general distribution to personal MP3 players and home computers. Links to the audio files and text of today's address follow.
First Gentleman Daniel G. Mulhern
Radio Address - Celebrate Michigan Mentoring Month
January 4, 2008
Hi. This is Dan Mulhern. As Michigan's first gentleman, I'm on a mission to spread the word about how mentoring transforms lives.
January is Michigan mentoring month...and so Jennifer invited me to tell you a little bit about mentoring.
Way back in college, I mentored Wilfredo Torres for four years, and I loved it. When Jennifer became attorney general, she mentored, and our family came to love her mentee, Britney. Jennifer's example inspired me to jump back in. Maybe you, too, have thought that "to whom much has been given, much is expected." It was time for me to give back, and I was matched with a great young guy named Chrissean Davis. I was saddened two years later when his mom moved the family to Indiana.
When Chrissean moved away, my daughter Kate complained how she missed him; he had become like a member of our family. I said, "Kate, you're 16 now; I'll bet you could become a mentor." And right that minute she went online and signed up. Two years later, when our other daughter turned sixteen, she, too, was matched. And now I'm about to begin my third year mentoring a young fellow named Delvin here in Lansing.
I guess you could say we're mentoring maniacs! We know how blessed we have been, and we see children who could just use a champion in their corner, a listening ear, an encouraging word, a consistent friend.
I'm amazed that the simple commitment of as little as an hour a week in a school mentoring program can change lives. Mentored children are absent less, do better in school, enjoy better friendships, and are less likely at an early age to drink, smoke or experiment with drugs.
They often lack something most of us took for granted - someone who consistently sees the good in them, helps them to understand their world, and listens.
Could you be there for a child? Just see them about once a week? Just see the world through their eyes? Just give them a little challenge and encouragement?
Here's my promise to you: Become a mentor, and you will change the world. You won't just change one life. You'll change your life, too.
Pick up the phone and call 2-1-1 or go online to www.mentormichigan.org. Make it great in '08. Mentor in Michigan. Help change the world - two lives at a time.
I'm First Gentleman Dan Mulhern, and I thank you for listening.
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