Big of the Year helps Little have a clearer future

Jana Rossi

Staff writer

Big Sister Lalani Ratnayake immediately took notice when Little Sister Shalom, though capable of reading, headed straight to the picture books during their trips to the library. Her persistence and determination to help the young girl yielded an answer as to why — Shalom’s eyes hurt after reading for a while and she chose picture books to avoid the pain.

A trip to the optometrist revealed Shalom had a problem with the muscles around her eyes and needed vision therapy. Now, with this support making Shalom’s future clearer and brighter, Lalani describes her Little as a very special girl who is “smart as a whip, always happy and upbeat.”

Lalani’s tireless efforts to nurture her Little earned the El Dorado Hills resident the title of 2022 Big Sister of the Year, awarded by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern Sierra.

Lalani became involved in BBBS while living in Boise, Idaho. Her good friend was a Big Sister with the program there and encouraged Lalani to get involved. She began in the elementary school program, which meant that after a Little would graduate, she would be assigned a new one. In 2016, after her mom passed away, Lalani, who had moved to California by that time, decided to enter the regular mentor program and she was assigned Shalom, who was in second grade. The two have been together for six-and-ahalf years.

Lalani has watched her Little Sister grow up and said she loves to be a stable piece in the now 13-year-old’s life. As a mom of two sons, Lalani said Shalom fills the space of a daughter. She said she loves to take her to the library, go out for pizza and ice cream, walk around museums, go ice skating and sometimes they will stay home and bake.