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Youth mentoring program says they are in desperate need of mentors

FISHERS, Ind. (WISH) — The Youth Mentoring Initiative is seeing a shortage of volunteers and leaders say they need your help.

Its program has been making an impact in Hamilton County for a decade but now have a high number of at-risk kids being recommended to join program. They have the resources, but need the mentors to match. 

“We need more male mentors,” Executive Director Alison Gatz said.

As a mentor, Fishers Fire Chief Steven Orusa has seen what the impact of this program can do first hand. His mentee, Anthony “Tony” Musilowski, a sophomore at Hamilton Southeastern High School, was headed down the wrong path when they first met.

“He had an attitude,” Orusa said.

However, after the two had a few conversations, Tony’s attitude started to change.

A year later, he’s gone from having no goals, to thoughts of college and aspirations of being a marriage counselor.

“Helping him identify and define the values that are going to guide his journey and his purpose. It’s a great feeling,” Orusa said.

Gatz says the program are full of success stories like Chief Orusa and Tony, but they need more men to take on the challenge.

“We need men that are going to step up and answer that call because at the end of the day if we don’t have the guys to mentor then we don’t get to do what we do.”

Volunteers in the Youth Mentoring Initiative are assigned to kids that range all the way from the fifth through the 12th grade.

For more on how you can sign up, click here.