Magnificent Mentors Gala Honors Carper the Day After President Calls on Nation to Mentor

DOVER, DE – The day after President Bush called upon nation to become “mentors to love children,” Senator Tom Carper will be given a special award at the “Magnificent Mentors” gala this evening in Dover. January is National Mentoring Month and the Delaware Mentoring Council recently kicked off an expansive drive to encourage more adults to mentor. “Mentoring gives a helping hand to children who need one. Each of us is the person we are because of the influence of caring adults in our lives. While a parent is ideally a child’s best mentor, some children need more support than their parents can give,” Carper said. “For their work, mentors are given a great gift – the knowledge that they made a difference in a child’s life.” Carper discovered the magic of mentoring first-hand in 1997 when he became a mentor to young Daryl Burton of Wilmington. Five years later, Carper continues to mentor once a week, every week, during the school year. As Governor, Carper helped recruit thousands of mentors as part of the Creative Mentoring program and actively involved in recruiting individuals and corporations to mentor Delaware’s at-risk children. Governor Ruth Ann Minner will present the award to Senator Carper. WHO: Mentors, Delaware Mentoring Council WHAT: Celebrates Magnificent Mentors, including Tom Carper WHERE: Dover Sheraton, Dover, DE WHEN: 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm, Wednesday, January 30, 2002