DARKE COUNTY – The 2025 application process is now open for seniors who are actively participating in our Lunch Buddies Programs as volunteer “BIG” in Shelby and Darke County Schools who are planning to further their education after graduation.
In addition to our traditional Bold Path to A Bright Future Scholarships, the agency will also award a 2025 graduate with the first annual Damian Bruns Memorial Scholarship.
The organization and the entire community lost a very special mentor, Damian Bruns, on May 17, 2024—just two days after he was awarded one of our Bold Path to a Bright Future Scholarships
Damian was a true role model. He was the kind of person kids looked up to, the embodiment of hard work, dedication, and the kind of mentor who leaves a lasting impact. He was the ideal representative for our Mentoring Program and someone you always wanted on your team. He was on our team from the very beginning—his mother, Jenny Bruns, worked at BBBS-SD for 23 years and served as a Big Sister to two littles for over 9 years. Through this experience, Damian saw firsthand the profound importance of mentoring, and he carried that understanding with him throughout his life.
He deeply valued the opportunity to help the littles experience the joy of life in the country, with a garden to tend and a backyard to play in. He loved being a part of that, knowing he could help shape their lives.
Beyond his work as a mentor, Damian was also a dedicated volunteer. He gave his time at community events, fundraisers, and our annual Christmas party for Bigs & Littles. During our Duck Derby, you could always count on Damian to bring his unique energy—whether he was wearing the Duck costume or out in the river helping release or catch the ducks.
As he grew older, Damian joined our Buddies program, where he mentored at Northwood School. Through all of these experiences, he learned that the true value of volunteering and giving back to the community far surpassed anything a paycheck could offer.
Damian’s legacy is one of deep impact, touching countless lives both within our organization and in the wider community. It’s in his memory that we establish the annual Damian Bruns Memorial Scholarship—a $1,500 (or more) award given to a recipient who mirrors the qualities that made Damian such an exceptional mentor.
Damian cherished his time with BBBS-SD and often shared that what he gained through volunteering and mentoring was immeasurably more valuable than any financial compensation. It’s that same spirit of giving, leadership, and community that we hope the recipient of this scholarship will carry forward, just as Damian did.
“We are proud to honor his memory and continue his work by investing in the future, just as he invested in the lives of so many others. Let us all strive to live by the example Damian set, as a mentor, as a volunteer, and as someone who believed deeply in the power of positive change,” said April Brubaker, Executive Director.
If you would like to make a donation in honor of Damian Bruns you may do so online by visiting the agency’s website at www.bigbrobigsis-shelbydarke.org or by mailing a check to PO Box 885, Sidney, OH 45365. Please note that it is for the Damian Bruns Memorial Scholarship. The contributions received will be earmarked and given in addition to the $1,500 the agency will contribute starting with the 2026 scholarship recipient.
The application and qualifications to apply for the agency’s 2025 Bold Path to a Bright Future scholarship and the Damian Bruns Memorial Scholarship can be found on the website or by contacting the agency at [email protected]. The deadline to apply is April 30th, 2025.
