NORWICH – Chenango County hosts at least one organization not found in any of the counties surrounding it. For the last 30 years, the Big Brother/Big Sister program has devoted itself to developing healthy environments for children in need.

The organization relies entirely volunteers to donate both time and heart in order to run and sponsor the program. In the last three decades, neither has been in short supply. “We currently have a number of kids that are in need of a volunteer, but we have helped and are continuing to help a far larger number,” said program director Lex Supensky.

“We want awareness. People out there should know we are here. Currently there are 34 children waiting for volunteers,” said Advisory Board Chair Suzanne Cleveland, who has been involved with the organization for 16 years.

The program officially started in June 1977 through the efforts of two local police officers, Joachim Liberatore of the Norwich Police and Mr. Neilen of the New York State Bureau for Criminal Investigations, who were concerned about the alarming rates of delinquency, drop outs and the stress facing single-parent families. In 1979, the program was expanded from the City of Norwich to encompass all of Chenango County. In 1992, the services had earned enough merit to be officially affiliated with the national Big Brother/Big Sister foundation.