I joined AFK in the spring of Junior Year, and it has always been something that I look forward to every weekend. Coming into the program, I wanted a relationship that was fun, energetic, and action packed. When I met my buddy, I knew that it was a great fit because we connected right away. We’re both competitive and love to learn new skills. I enjoy the fact that every weekend I get to look forward to hanging out with him because it allows me to take a step back from my own life and just have a good time and focus on what we’re doing in the moment. Our friendship is so unique because we’re both willing to step out of our comfort zones and try new activities. For example, I brought him to the golf course that I work at to play and he loved it, and from then on, we’ve continued to play golf and he now has a new passion. I love that he’s very creative and thoughtful, always surprising me with the technical skills and talents that he has. I’ve enjoyed every time I’ve hung out with him and am excited to continue to grow our friendship and see all of the accomplishments he’s made over the upcoming years! I’m super thankful for AFK because they gave me the opportunity to create this strong friendship.
Mentee Parent
Ryan has been a mentor to my teenage son for the past two years. In that time, he has shown a genuine interest in and commitment to becoming the best mentor that he can be. I was instantly impressed during our initial meeting when he took detailed notes of my responses to his thoughtful questions. Most importantly, it is apparent when someone really cares about and likes the person they are working with. Ryan demonstrates this every time he shows up with great enthusiasm to share with our son. Ryan comes up with new and creative things for them to do together; this is especially true around the holidays.
Ryan has been generous with his time and life experiences; we feel lucky to have known him. He is good at getting our son motivated to engage socially and broaden his perspective. Whether it's playing foosball or board games they always make boisterous sounds of joy that can be heard throughout the house. They also frequently get active outdoors. For example, Ryan introduced my son to golf, and they had so much fun playing many rounds at the local golf course where he works.
Ryan has been willing to share so many things about himself with our family, we appreciate all that he has done for our son, and we know he will make a lasting impact!
