"Since I began my project, I have gained a significant amount of hands-on experience encompassing supervisory and case management roles, generating agency advocacy through public relations, developing fundraising and recruitment expertise, forging partnerships with local corporations and human service organizations, and representing the program regionally on various collaborative relationships and coalitions in the community. The future rewards I will obtain in educational reimbursement and quality field experience surpass the short-term financial restraints of living at poverty level. I get up every morning and head to work knowing that what I am doing is bigger than myself and that is making a difference, which is something many are not as fortunate to be able to say." -Stacey Coventry, VISTA at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Maine '05-'07