Tom and his wife Janet |
In late 1966, Tom Thornton was driving in downtown Toronto when a radio ad came on talking about the need for Big Brothers at their agency. Immediately, Tom felt that he could make a difference, and turned around to get started as a Big Brother. After his first match ended, he was then matched with Little Brother Ron Bartleet.
Tom and his little brother at Wingfest |
This was the beginning of a wonderful Mentor/Mentee relationship that has lasted well over 40 years! The two of them have shared so many adventures, however likely the most exciting was when they were able to realize a dream come true for both of them. Ron shared Tom’s interest and enthusiasm in cars, something that they talked about quite a bit while they were on their match outings.
This interest culminated in an opportunity to participate in Targa Newfoundland, a 5 day road rally across Newfoundland spanning over 1600 Kilometers!
Not only has Tom been a Big Brother, but he has also been a member of the board of directors in both Peel and Niagara Falls! This December, Tom, along with the rest of us I am sure, will celebrate 50 years of service to Big Brothers Big Sisters! Thanks, Tom, for helping us #StartSomething!
You can hear all about the wonderful relationship between Tom and Ron here -
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