Journal staff This month’s ‘Take Our Kids to Work’ day was one to remember for James Kissel and 14-year-old Colton. “I’ve wanted to take him to work with me since I met him,” Kissel said of his Little Brother.
Journal staff
This month’s ‘Take Our Kids to Work’ day was one to remember for James Kissel and 14-year-old Colton.
“I’ve wanted to take him to work with me since I met him,” Kissel said of his Little Brother.
The pair have been matched through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Sarnia-Lambton since 2014, and have pretty much been inseparable, he said.
So, when Take Our Kids to Work day arrived Nov. 2, James knew he wanted to bring Colton to Imperial Oil, where he works as a rail car loader.
“The whole experience was great,” he said, noting that they covered everything from touring the control room to the process towers and various units.
“He was really interested in the research lab, too. He liked looking at all the different stages of refining oil from starting with crude oil to making gasoline.”
The agency’s executive director, Kaylen Burgess, still remembers the day James and Colten were matched eight years ago.
“We were all waiting outside Colton’s house, James pulled up in his big truck,” she recalled.
“Colton’s eyes were beaming as he watched his new Big Brother walk up the driveway.
“When James called us to let us know he brought Colton to Imperial Oil for “take your kid to work day” his voice was beaming as big as Colton’s eyes were that first day, years ago,” she added.
The pair do everything together from building bird houses to going to baseball games and the movies, Kissel said.
“I think the best thing about it is helping him grow and mature as a young man — help him with life’s problems and gain self esteem,” he said.
“Our relationship is very special.
“I guess when I think about it, we really are best friends.”
