March / April 2007 - Sacramento County Bar Association

VIP Mentors (VIP) is the only non-profit organization in
Sacramento and Yolo counties that recruits, matches and
assists attorneys, and only attorneys, to mentor parolees from
the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
VIP's attorney volunteers provide personal, one-on-one mentoring
and act as role models to
parolees as they struggle to turn their
lives around and become productive,
crime free citizens.
There are no set hours. Mentors
and mentees check in with each other
every week by phone and decide on
the best times to get together. The
important thing in VIP mentoring is
not volume, but dependability, consistency
and sincerity.
Throughout the year, VIP organizes
picnics, excursions to sporting
events and holiday parties for mentors,
mentees and their significant
others. Last June, a VIP group attended
the beginning of the River Cats
season. Another group enjoyed a preseason
Kings game at Arco Arena on
October 20th. The Sacramento Maloof Sports and
Entertainment group generously gave VIP Mentors discounted
tickets for the Kings. On behalf of VIP Mentors, I would like to
thank Maloof Sports and Entertainment for their generous gift.
It was a wonderful evening!
I arrived early so I could watch each mentee and mentor take
their seats. I love the positive energy when like-minded people come
together. Many of our mentees have never attended a professional
sporting event and it was exciting to see them share this new experience
with their mentors. In this friendly and invigorating space,
our mentees knew that for once in their lives, no one would judge
them for their past. We were there as a “family” to simply have fun.
To be honest, I am not a big sports fan. I don't understand
28 SACRAMENTO LAWYER ■ MARCH/APRIL 2007
Community Service
VIP Mentors Enjoys a
Night of Basketball
By Collette M. Aldana,
Program Director, VIP Sacramento/Yolo
the rules and often times can't even figure out what is or isn't
allowed. But even though I have no idea what is going on, I
always have a great time at VIP sports events. I may not learn
much from the game, but I end up learning a lot about each
of the amazing mentors and mentees in our program.
Program Director Collette Aldana, Keisha Clark with Mentor Alana Mathews-Davis, Debra
Wriedt with Mentor Suzann Gostovich.
“People seldom improve when they have
no other model but themselves to copy.”
--Oliver Goldsmith
There is another advantage. It seems that even nachos and
hot dogs taste much better at VIP events. Our highly contagious
sense of excitement and camaraderie extends even to the food we
enjoy. There is just something special about being in the midst
of a group of people who want to change their lives.
Please join us. Become a VIP mentor!
I assure you that spending time with your
mentee will be a unique and rewarding
experience. You and your parolee decide
what to do or accomplish. Activities in
which you can share interests, talk or just
get to know each other are best: going out
for coffee, sharing a meal, taking in a
movie or game, jogging or shooting baskets.
Your advice about schoolwork, finding
a job, getting a driver's license and a
variety of other coping skills will be highly valued.
I hope to see you at our next VIP sporting event or other celebration
of the impact that one person can have on the life of
another. I've got your ticket ready!
If you are interested in becoming a mentor or need further
information, please contact Collette Aldana, Program Director, VIP
Mentors Sacramento/Yolo at (916) 324-4141 ext. 259, by fax (916)
445-8864 or by e-mail at vip-sacramento@vipmentors.org