History

Cliff Hall was a Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada staff member for 28 years.  He is a treasured Alumni member who embodies the characteristics of trust, support, dedication to the movement and concern for every person as an individual. The Cliff Hall Alumni Award will recognize one active Alumni member who has been a long-term (either continuous or re-engaged) member and who demonstrates significant commitment to forwarding the mentoring movement. This award is for a Big Brothers Big Sister Alumni member who is currently involved either as a Volunteer, Staff, Parent or Board Member.

The Cliff Hall Alumni Award recognizes one Big Brothers Big Sisters Alumnus each year and nominations are due by March 31st.

Click here to nominate the 2011 recipient today.

Mrs. Andra Tacaks

 (shown with her 2 little sisters)
Well known for her philanthropic and volunteer activities, Andra Takacs became involved with the Big Brother Big Sister movement in 1987. Throughout the 80’s Andra had extensive volunteer involvement with a number of steering groups, committees and women’s organization, but by the latter part of the decade she began to focus on devoting her volunteer time to children’s charities. Andra became a driving force to promote and support Big Sistering. She was a founding member of the Steering Committee to establish Big Sisters of Canada (1989); a Board Member; Chair of the Public Relations Committee, Chair of the Fund Raising Committee and an active member of Big Sisters of Ontario. Recognizing the need for a Big Sister organization where none existed in Toronto, Andra took it upon herself to research, organize and co-found Big Sisters of Toronto (1987-1988). She became their First Board Chair in 1988.
It didn’t end there. Andra found her true passion working directly with the children. She was formally matched with her first Little Sister in 1988. What began as a Special Friend volunteer with the Toronto Children’s Aid Society for a child in need of protection, soon moved to a Big and Little Match when the child protection mandate was no longer an issue and CAS involvement was no longer required. Andra, her Little Sister Kurianna and her family agreed to formalize the relationship through the Big Sister process. When her little sister turned 16 she decided that she was “too mature” to continue as a Little Sister. Although the match formally closed at the time, Andra and Little Sister Kurianna remained in close contact throughout the years, a true testament to Andra’s dedication the bond of friendship that had developed.
Andra was matched with her second Little Sister seven year old Chantal in February 1992. Andra has watched Chantal grow and mature into a wonderful, responsible young woman who continues to attend agency events with Andra to this very day. Andra has provided many exciting opportunities to Chantal demonstrating that the world is full of possibilities. Chantal went on to attend college and study Early Childhood Development and is doing very well today.
Andra was matched for a third time to Little Sister Charlotte in a tandem match dating from August 2003 through to September 2004 when the match was formally closed.
Education has always been a focus and driving desire for Andra. While she spent countless hours sharing her boundless time and energy with her Little Sister, working side by side with her mother and her teachers and only a phone call away, Andra and her husband Bryan took their philanthropy one step further. In 1994, in celebration of their wedding, they established the Andra Takacs Scholarship Fund with the University of Toronto. At the time they noted that many individuals created scholarship funds at the time of funerals…..and they asked themselves “why not in the case of a wedding?” Working with Barb Hickey, then Executive Director of Big Brothers of Metropolitan Toronto, they “hatched” their plan.
They haven’t looked back! Recognizing the importance of education, the scholarship is an award that tries to encourage students to continue with their schooling after high school, by giving them academic and financial support. The award is distributed to one female and one male recipient each year and in a newly formalized partnership, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Toronto and the University of Toronto match all award recipients with university student mentors throughout their high school years in a uniquely designed mentoring program. Scholarship recipients qualify for $5,000 per year for up to four years.
Andra continues her involvement within the Big Brother Big Sister movement. She is the recipient of the Elaine Giffen Award in 2002, an Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Toronto award that recognizes an individual who has brought about the most outstanding change in their Little and she was awarded the Canada 125 Medal in 1993. She is currently in her 4th year on the Board of Directors of Toronto; is a member of the Program and Volunteer Committee; served for 2 years as Co-chair of the Big Night out Gala Committee; and was part of the Fund Development and Strategic Planning Committee. Most recently has agreed to sit on the BBBSC Centennary Committee as we move towards 2013 and our 100th anniversary.

It was once said that when Andra commits and tells you that she will do something, it is a “fait accompli”. Never were two words more truly spoken. Andra is a truly unique woman, with a deep spirit of generosity.

Congratulations to this year's Cliff Hall Alumni Award recipient..