Angels Camp, CA…The Calaveras Youth Mentoring Program is pleased to announce Murphys resident John Adams as the April 2017 Mentor of the Month. John has been matched with his mentee, Adan, for just over a year.

“John and Adan are an incredible match. What I like best about seeing John and Adan together is their dedication to fun. They are both clever, enjoy riddles, and share a keen sense of humor that is unique to just the two of them,” said Katie Lackler, coordinator of the Calaveras Youth Mentoring Program.

John and his wife, Dr. Rhoda Nussbaum, both became mentors with the Calaveras Youth Mentoring Program a little over a year ago. “My wife and I are totally dedicated to doing good and loving service. We both had great careers and now we want to be able to do things for others,” said John. The couple spent many years traveling to India to lead a cervical cancer prevention program. Now they enjoy taking their mentees on outings together.

John brings his love of service to his mentoring relationship. One of the activities both John and 11-year-old Adan enjoyed the most during their first year of friendship was a day of canoeing at Utica Reservoir, while picking up litter on various islands. John had asked the Forest Service if he and Adan could be of service, and trash pick-up was one of the options.

Adan and John have explored new activities together, like skiing, fishing and rafting, but they really enjoy just hanging out. “It’s just having fun with a friend. I suppose a lot of role modeling takes place, but really it’s just hanging out and talking about things,” said John.

Adan’s mom Robyn said, “John is fantastic. Such a good role model — friendly, responsible, dependable. I could not ask for a better person for Adan to be around. John’s intellectual and he can follow Adan on tangents. Adan has more confidence and is more motivated to try new things. John never disappoints Adan, and always comes through on commitments.”

Since moving full time to Calaveras County 10 years ago, John has been an active member of the community. He leads discussion groups and is on the Board at the Center for Creativity and Community in San Andreas and has served on the boards of the Murphys Community Club and the Foothill Collaborative for Sustainability (FOCUS).

When asked what he would tell prospective mentors, John said, “Check it out! It is an opportunity to do good high quality service locally in a way that is really fun and rewarding. It is a no-brainer if you are interested in young people, and the mentoring program is incredibly well run.”

The Mentoring Program is always seeking volunteers, and particularly needs mentors for boys in the Angels Camp and Murphys areas. There are many ways to support the Mentoring Program aside from being a mentor: help coordinate fieldtrips, support fundraising efforts, or help with publicity. For more information about the Calaveras Youth Mentoring Program, call Katie Lackler, Mentoring Program Coordinator, at (209) 736-6078 or visit us online at www.calaverasmentoring.org.