NATIONAL MENTOR MONTH: Club's director becomes a mentor himself

Note: The Nevada Appeal, with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Nevada Mentor Center, are honoring local mentors in January, National Mentor Month.

Hal Hansen is director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Nevada, which makes him a mentor to a large group of children and staff, but to one youth in particular he is a consistent shoulder to lean on.

Hal became an unofficial mentor 26 years ago when he started working for a boys and girls club in Phoenix. This past summer, however, he became an official mentor for a youth in Carson named Cameron, as a way to encourage others on his staff as well as in the community to get involved one-on-one with a youth.

Hal marks this decision as one of the best in his professional career.

"It has evolved into one big 'teachable moment,'" he said.

His mentee Cameron turned 10 this past fall, and is in the middle of a pack of five brothers. His mother saw mentoring as a chance for him to have someone all his own to listen to him and support her in encouraging him to become his own individual.

During the afternoon at the club Cameron often checks in with Hal. They do things like talk in his office or activities and games in one of the club's many activity rooms. Outside of the Boys & Girls Club, the pair meet regularly as well to do things together.

Hal said, "We have gone to movies, out for lunch or snacks, and baked cookies under the direction of my daughter. Our next activity is ice skating downtown - which should be an adventure as he has never been on skates!"

The Boys & Girls Club currently has 45 active members on the waiting list to get a mentor, and Hal sees the difference in the students who do have a mentor already. They have better behavior in the club, better relationships with peers while playing, and an overall better attitude about the future.

Mentoring doesn't just help students, however, as Hal points out, "I imagine that the other mentors have had a similar experience in that they have gotten as much out of the relationship as the child has. Cameron has taught me to be a better father to my three daughters as well as a better husband. He is so polite and appreciative and a huge lover of life."

• Bridget Gordon is the outreach specialist for the Boys & Girls Clubs Mentor Center.