The Southcoast Mentoring Initiative for Learning, Education and Service (SMILES) program honored its many volunteer mentors and supporting organizations at a reception held at Rachel's Lakeside Restaurant in Dartmouth on January 24, 2007. SMILES mentor Tony Pires and his mentee Dominic Jackson of the Kuss Middle School shared their experiences that began when the two met last year. The Fall River Herald News, the Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts and Bufftree Building Company were also recognized for their support of the program. The event was planned for the national "Thank Your Mentor Day", part of the National Mentoring Month.  SMILES, pioneered by Jim Mathes, has recruited over five hundred volunteer mentors in 26 programs in Fall River, New Bedford and Wareham. Click here for the Herald News article about the event. For more information about the program, contact Program Coordinator  Marie-Frances Rivera at 508-999-9300.
 

(Top row, left) Mary Gomes and Irene Reis of New Bedford are invited to sign in by Director of Administration Michelle Emery as Director of Operations Lynn Poyant, right, looks on. (Top row, center and right) SMILES General Manager Ava Assad first greets mentor and Fall River Police Chief John M. Souza before greeting six-year-old twins Marianela and Alexander Dutra, children of Community Foundation Executive Director Craig Dutra. (Middle row, left) Diman Regional Technical Vocational High School Bakery Instructor John Barreira stands with students Gergory Watson and Samantha Desrosiers who prepared the cake for the event. (Middle row, center) Program Coordinator  Marie-Frances Rivera, (left) and Colleen Millett (facing camera right) who coordinates the Lincoln School program enjoy the reception. (Middle row, right) Terri Swanson-Belliveau, assistant director of the New Bedford Youth Court, receives a hug from SMILES Executive Director Jim Mathes. (Bottom row, left) Mr. Mathes welcomes everyone to the event prior to acknowledging each of their contributions. (Bottom row, center) Big Friends Little Friends Program Coordinator Ramona Turcotte, right, gets to know some of the New Bedford mentors. (Bottom row, right) Christal Phipps and Roberta Kortright, both mentors at the Keith Middle School in New Bedford, look over pictures from the program.