More than just children’s imaginations soared with the birds Saturday at the Santa Maria Museum of Flight.

Close to 20 children involved in the San Luis Obispo Big Brothers Big Sisters went up in private airplanes to admire the Central Coast from above and learn more about aviation.

Pilots from the Santa Maria, San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles chapters of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) donated their time and their aircraft to introduce local children to the freedom and thrill of flight in conjunction with the EAA Young Eagles program.

While the children waited their turn, they and their family members or Big Brothers and Big Sisters had the run of two hangars worth of memorabilia at the museum.

In total, close to 50 people gathered to show the children the range of opportunities available to them, said Sarah Rudd-Lawlor, programs director for the Big Brothers Big Sisters program.

Charles VanMeter and his mother Yvonne Tang from the Nipomo Mesa said the program has been invaluable to their lives.

Tang, a single mother with two children, said she got her 12-year-old son involved in Big Brothers Big Sisters because “he needed another adult viewpoint and help in making better decisions.”

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VanMeter has had a Big Sister for more than two years and she has taught him responsibility and pride in his work through everyday activities such as chopping wood or caring for animals.

“They’re going to be friends for life,” Tang said of her son and his mentor.

The majority of the children involved in Big Brothers Big Sisters are from single-parent homes, Rudd-Lawlor said and they enjoy the one-on-one companionship with a mentor.

An Arroyo Grande family decided to mentor 6-year-old Natalie Clarke together as opposed to one-on-one. Ray Cichlar, his wife Sabine and their 10-year-old daughter Bronte welcomed Natalie into the family in November and have been thankful for her presence ever since.

“She’s definitely part of the family,” Sabine said.

Bronte and Natalie rode in a Cessna 172 Saturday and returned with flushed cheeks and big smiles.

“Everyone had swimming pools and all the homes looked like dollhouses,” Natalie told the Cichlars of her bird’s-eye view. “And I could see people running.”

Natalie lives in Nipomo with her mother and two siblings, who are also in the program.

The San Luis Obispo Big Brothers Big Sisters has served more than 1,000 children since its opening in 1994. Prospective mentors must undergo a background check and are given training before taking on the responsibility of helping a child become the best they can be, Rudd-Lawlor said.

Even though 8-year-old Brian Bossenberry couldn’t ride in the planes his happiness was obvious at getting to spend time with his Big Brother.

Devon Wilson was a senior at San Luis Obispo High School when he heard of the Big Brothers Big Sisters school-based mentoring, which matches elementary school children with high schoolers.

That’s when he met Brian, a curly-haired first-grader in need of some help in navigating playground politics, Rudd-Lawlor said.

Two years later the pair from San Luis Obispo are still part of the Big Brothers Big Sisters program.

“I would definitely recommend getting involved,” Wilson said. “I’m so glad that I ended up doing it and now I’m so happy.”

For more information about the San Luis Obispo Big Brothers Big Sisters and how to get involved go to www.slobigs.org/pages.php/home.

Sam Womack can be reached at

739-2218 or swomack@santamariatimes.com.

August 3, 2008