BRATTLEBORO — Sometimes you're born with an older brother, and sometimes one is matched to you.
In the case of Austin Powers, that match came at just the right time.
Keith Clark was working two jobs: one in the Vermont Army National Guard, and the other as Windham County Sheriff. He also had a wife and two daughters and was very active in the community.
In his spare time, he signed up to be a “Big.” He had originally thought to sign up for Big Brothers Big Sisters back in 2010, but then was deployed to Afghanistan.
After his safe return to the States, he rejoined the program and was matched with 8-year old Austin.
After 3{1/2} years of mentorship, Clark was recently nominated by Youth Services, which runs the Big Brothers Big Sisters program in Windham County, as “Big of the Year.”
Clark was chosen to represent Vermont by the Big Brothers Big Sisters Foundation of America.
Big Brothers Big Sisters is a mentorship program. A word originally from Greek, a mentor is a friend entrusted to educate one's own child. In this program, “Bigs,” or adults in the community, are matched with “Littles,” children and young adults who could especially benefit from a positive role model.
Says Clark of his relationship with Austin: “With the job I have, it's easy to focus on the negative in society, the dark side... [with Austin] I get the opportunity to see the world as not such a dark place.”
How did Clark sign up for the mentorship program in the first place?
He said that his firsthand experience with law enforcement, and the difference he believes early intervention mentorship programs create down the road, inspired him to become a Big.
He also credited the effect of his own mentors who inspired and led him to his current career, such as a Vermont state trooper whom Clark met when he was a Boy Scout.
'The one stable factor'
Austin's adoptive father, Chris Wallace of Grafton, recalls that Clark's mentorship has given his son a positive view of law enforcement. He believes it has been critical to Austin's growth and development amid the turmoil of his recent past.
Austin was an 8-year-old without a family or a home, and Clark became the one stable factor in the boy's tumultuous life.
Now that Austin is happily situated in a new home, he and Clark continue their relationship for at least four hours a month, the minimum time requirement set by the program.
No requirement exists for the activities they do together.
“Sometimes we don't even plan ahead,” Clark said with a laugh. “We just ask, 'What do you want to do today?'”
That list extends to munching on pizza, riding escalators in New York City, hiking, motorcycling, and doing errands across the bridge in New Hampshire.
Both Clark and Wallace, who participated in Big Brothers Big Sisters himself, highly recommend the program.
“You don't have to be a CEO to have a lot to offer a child,” Clark said. “As long as you care about the world you live in you'd make a good mentor.”
Clark was nominated by Youth Services due to his active community engagement, the incredible impact he has made in Austin's life, and his stalwart support of the program.
Clark hopes that with the public recognition, his actions will continue to inspire and impact.