Ron Arnold is a generous, longtime supporter of BBBSLV who is also a former Big Brother. For this month’s 3 Questions segment, we asked Ron about his historical tie to the mission and what motivates him to stay connected as a donor.
What led you to the mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters?
I was in my twenties, working as an engineer in the Los Angeles area and generally doing well in life – beyond what I (and others) expected of me while I was growing up in a small town in Central New York state. I felt called to give back, and specifically to help guide a young person towards a good future. The Big Brothers program provided that opportunity and I was matched with 10-year old Jason. I enjoyed both the fun and the challenges of being a Big Brother.
Why do you choose to support BBBSLV as a major donor?
The main reason is that I saw the positive impact that I and other Bigs were having on the boys and girls in the program. As I continued to be blessed in my own success, I was able to increase my charitable giving and after moving to the Lehigh Valley, providing strong financial support to BBBSLV to indirectly help support the success of others just felt right to me and my wife, Marie.
You are very involved in the community, which is terrific. What inspires or motivates you to stay engaged and help others?
My wife and I have fully bought into the concept of sharing one’s time, talent and treasure. Not only is it the right thing to do, but we find we get back more than we give. For example, our long-time involvement in marriage preparation strengthened our relationship as much as it helped those getting married.
We have made the Lehigh Valley our home for over 20 years, and it is important to us that we help build a welcoming, inclusive, and strong community here. We have been blessed financially and we find it is quite rewarding to share our treasure, as well as being actively involved, to help address the Valley’s opportunities and challenges.