Big Brothers Big Sisters of Fond du Lac County celebrated an incredible year of impact during The BIG Event 2025 presented by Shea Electric & Communications LLC! 187 guests visited Hotel Retlaw in Fond du Lac on Thursday, July 10 to cheer on their favorite mixologists, honor the Big of the Year, congratulate graduating Littles, and bid on some incredible items with the help of auctioneer extraordinaire Rod Drendel and 107.1 The Bull’s Chandra Lynn. After 111 silent auction items, 8 live auction items, jewelry donated by The Goldsmith, a wine raffle, and other generous donations made at the event, almost $75,000 was raised to support local children with powerful mentoring relationships!
The evening kicked off with 5 “celebrity mixologist” teams from local companies who kept guests both entertained and hydrated with their specialty cocktails. Reigning champions Kurt Petik from Rabo AgriFinance and Mark Diederichs from Breeze Dairy Group got groovy with the “Fond du Lava Lamp;” Bill Boyd and Shane Smith from SSM Health boosted energy with their “Espresso Martini;” Adam Stone, Renee Breister, and Teri Wall from National Exchange Bank & Trust relaxed with an “Ocean Breeze;” and John Buelow and Andres Gonzales from Mercury Marine showcased the “Watermelon Mercarita.” Gina Kraus and Dan Roberts from Grande Cheese Company, who are both Bigs at BBBS, claimed the crown for best mixologist with their one-of-a-kind “Big Night Berry Delight.”
After a braised short rib and shrimp skewer dinner with dessert sponsored by Mix It Up Bakery, BBBS honored 5 Littles who reached the special milestone of high school graduation. Ranging from 2 years to 7 years at BBBS, each of these Littles has a bright future ahead of them. Little Sister Amber and Big Sister Olivia Putz have been matched since 2018. Amber graduated from Horace Mann High School with plans to pursue a career as a dental hygienist. Little Sister Breanna and Big Sister Taylor Ling have been matched since 2019. Breanna graduated from Horace Mann High School with plans to enter the workforce. Little Brother Collin has been part of BBBS Teen Group since 2020. Collin graduated from Fond du Lac High School with plans to earn his journeyman’s card at Moraine Park Technical College. Little Brother Eliseo and Big Brother Dan Rosenblatt have been matched since 2020. Eliseo graduated from Fond du Lac High School with plans to enroll in the electrical program at Moraine Park Technical College. Little Sister Hayley and Big Sister Tanya Schwartz have been matched since 2023. Hayley graduated from Wisconsin Virtual Academy with plans on doing respite.
With help from BBBS Board President Mike Rosenau, BBBS Executive Director Tammy Young, and National Exchange Bank Foundation’s Adam Stone, BBBS announced the launch of the “Building Connection, Inspiring Potential” capital campaign. With a goal of $1.95M, the campaign will help offset the cost of the organization’s new building, reduce the number of Littles on the waiting list, and expand critical mentoring services. After moving into the building last year, BBBS was able to launch a brand-new site-based mentoring program with associates from Grande Cheese Company. Bigs met with their Littles at the new BBBS office after work every other Wednesday during the 2024-25 school year. Members of the pilot program—Big Brother Patrick Hansen, Little Brother Cameron, and Little Sister Malaya—took the stage at The BIG Event to talk about the friendships they’ve built during the first year of the program and their excitement to be part of the second year.
After being a mentor with BBBS for nearly 7 years and counting, Grande Cheese Company’s Justine Eatherton was honored with the 2025 Big of the Year award. Justine was matched with Little Sister Jasmine in 2018. Since then, Justine has instilled a growing confidence in her Little and has proven to be an incredible advocate for BBBS—all while taking on adventures like kayaking, caving, ziplining, rock climbing, and skiing. Jasmine and her mom, Amy Schmitz, presented Justine with the award during the event. Amy spoke about the profound impact both Justine and BBBS have had on her family as a whole. Accepting the award, Justine reminded everyone that at the heart of every great match is simply having fun and being a good friend. You can read more about Justine and Jasmine here.
Auctioneer extraordinaire Rod Drendel and 107.1 The Bull’s Chandra Lynn then took the stage for the live auction portion of the night. There were 8 special live auction items available for bidding in person including a charcuterie class, fishing and hunting opportunities, cheese and wine for a year, local sporting outings, and other unique packages.
Throughout the night, attendees could participate in a $25 “Wine Raffle” featuring mystery bottles of wine from Festival Foods and Ziegler Winery, as well as a $25 “Box of Rocks” drawing featuring a special piece of jewelry from The Goldsmith. This year’s big winner took home a 14 karat yellow and white gold ring set with over a quarter carat of diamonds valued at $2,255. Other boxes contained bracelets made by matches, candy accessories, and other small prizes.
To close out the evening, BBBS Board President Mike Rosenau returned to the stage to talk about what’s next for BBBS. Sharing his own experience as a Big, he emphasized the important role that the new building and the capital campaign will play in the agency’s next chapter.
The prizes, auctions, and cocktails may be over, but you can still support BBBS in the year ahead! There are currently almost 100 Littles waiting for a mentor in the Fond du Lac County area. Click here to learn more about becoming a Big Brother, Sister, Couple, or Family. Otherwise, consider donating to the “Building Connection, Inspiring Potential” capital campaign here—all fees are generously covered by Bristol Morgan Bank.
Thank you to the sponsors who made this event possible: [PRESENTING] Shea Electric & Communications LLC [PLATINUM] The Goldsmith, Sunny 97-7 [GOLD] BrownBoots Interactive, Inc., FVSBank, Grande Cheese Company, Michels Corporation, Society Insurance, SSM Health [TABLE] Alliance Laundry Systems LLC, Bristol Morgan Bank, Drexel Building Supply, Excel, Grande Cheese Company, McNeilus Steel Inc., National Exchange Bank & Trust [WINE] Festival Foods, Ziegler Winery [DESSERT] Mix It Up Bakery
BBBS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving Fond du Lac County and northern Dodge County. The agency assists children with social, emotional, and character development through 1:1 (one-to-one) and 1:1+ (one-to-one plus) mentoring opportunities in community-based, site-based, and school-based settings. Youth ages 6 and up can enroll in the program through parent or guardian referral. Volunteers ages 16 and up who pass a background check and have a valid driver’s license and auto insurance can be mentors. Visit bbbsfdl.org or call (920) 922-8200 to learn more.
