January proclaimed National Mentoring Month ...

At its Monday, January 4 regular session, the Allamakee County Board of Supervisors proclaimed January as National Mentoring Month. During that January 4 meeting, Helping Services for Youth and Families Mentoring Coordinator Kathy Schwartzhoff shared that currently there are 16 matches of mentors to youth from Allamakee County. During this past year, Helping Services provided mentors to 113 youth in Allamakee, Delaware, Howard and Winneshiek Counties, and 161 people served as volunteers during this past year in Youth Mentoring. Allowances are being made during this time of masking up and social distancing for mentors to meet with their mentees in other ways than in-person. The current need for mentors is actually more vital as many youth are struggling with balancing school schedules, adapting to online learning, and having challenges with families and friends. Pictured above at the proclamation are, left to right: Helping Services Executive Director Carson Eggland, Allamakee County Board of Supervisors member Dan Byrnes and Chairman Larry Schellhammer, Helping Services Mentoring Coordinator Colinee McCann, Allamakee County Board of Supervisors member Mark Reiser and Helping Services Mentoring Coordinator Kathy Schwartzhoff. Standard photo by Joe Moses.