Unfamiliar world opens to youth of Big Brothers and Big Sisters

Firefighter Alex Donald helps Raphael and Michael Gravel from Big Brothers and Big Sisters dress in firefighting gear during a tour of Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt July 29. Photo by Cpl Stuart MacNeil, MARPAC Imaging Services

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~

Two children and their mentors from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Victoria got an up-close look at the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) with a tour of Dockyard on the morning of July 29.

The group started their visit by meeting personnel from Esquimalt’s Fire and Rescue Services and the Military Police Unit, where the children tried on fire-fighting gear and were permitted to sound the sirens and horns in a police cruiser, and the hook and ladder truck.

They then moved on for a tour of the RCN’s submarine HMCS Victoria and participated in an escape-training drill.

Finally, the group boarded HMCS Regina for a tour of the bridge and Captain’s Quarters of the Halifax-class frigate where they were each presented a souvenir RCN baseball hat.

Their day concluded with lunch in the Submarine Shore Office cafeteria where MS Devin Maxwell, a Naval Communicator in Victoria, presented Big Brothers Big Sisters Victoria a $500 cheque from the submarine’s charitable fund.

MS Maxwell facilitated the outreach and said he got the idea for the tour after he and his girlfriend drove past the charitable organization’s headquarters.

“I knew how much I enjoyed field trips when I was a kid and thought a tour of the base would be a great thing for Big Brothers Big Sisters,” said MS Maxwell. “I know they had a blast and were smiling ear-to-ear the entire time because it gave them a chance to come to Dockyard and see things they normally wouldn’t have a chance to see.”

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada currently matches over 42,000 children with adult mentors or mentoring programs in an effort to build life-changing relationships built on friendship, trust and empowerment.