A Year of Mentorship: Grace and Krissa’s Story

“I was hesitant because I wasn’t sure about having enough time and I felt that I may be inadequate to be a mentor.” This was a quote from one FORGE mentor, Grace, who has now been mentoring Krissa for over a year. 

The first time Grace and Krissa met, they went to the park and had a picnic, which set a pattern for them to eat out almost every time they got together, generally a corn dog and fries with tartar sauce from Zips. 

One of their favorite memories together was overcoming fear by riding on cross-country skis in the snow. After some convincing, Krissa finally decided she would give skiing a try and she LOVED it. In fact, Grace had to tell Krissa that it was time to go inside and warm up after two hours of skiing on a snowy hill in the backyard. While indoor activities like painting and learning to cook have been fun, Grace and Krissa look forward to summer so they can hike Badger Mountain, go kayaking, and return to the FastTrack for some go-kart racing.

Grace and Krissa both agreed that the friendship has grown to be something more than a mentorship over the last year. “Krissa is one of the most resilient kids I know and FORGE has still helped her with time management, organization, and being a more open-minded kid,” said Grace. 

Krissa explained that FORGE has given her a “built-in friend that will always be there to support me, challenge me, and talk to me.” Krissa is anticipating many more years of having someone who can teach her about important life skills and provide stability in her life.

Now, both of Krissa’s siblings are involved in FORGE and their family is close with Grace’s. They have meals together, do activities together, and even shared Krissa’s birthday party last summer.

There is so much more to Grace and Krissa’s story. Their relationship has grown to reach all of the loved ones in their lives. The positive radiance that they have when they are together is contagious to anyone near. 

If you are interested in having a story like this, you can sign up to be a part of FORGE today. In Grace’s words, “All the kids need is someone who can be genuine and consistent- an hour a week is well worth the joy it has brought.” And in Krissa’s, “Hey, wanna help some kids out? GO TO FORGE!”