5th Annual Wines Around the World - Tickets and Sponsorships on Sale Now!

Fishers Youth Initiative is proud to continue hosting YMI's signature Wines Around the World Fundraising Event. Join us for the 5th annual event on Friday, May 16th on the Rooftop Patio of First Internet Bank. The event features:

• Wine tasting tables hosted by experts from Palm Bay International
• Beer tasting table hosted by Mashcraft Brewing
• Hors d'oeuvres provided by premier Fishers eateries
• Silent Auction
• Live entertainment from Hill & Oaks Band

Curious what all the fun is about? Learn more, check out last year's video, and purchase tickets at the button below or by clicking here!

For questions or sponsor inquiries, email brittany@ymionline.org.

Meet the Mentor: Eric Cole

• How long have you been mentoring with FYI? This is my second year of mentoring the same student.
• How did you get involved with FYI? I spent several years as a volunteer tutor in IPS elementary schools, but changes in my job made it tough to continue. After stepping away, I still felt a strong pull to support students. When multiple friends mentioned their involvement with YMI (now FYI's Mentoring Program), I decided to check it out. 
• What have been your personal benefits of mentoring? Mentoring has given me a strong sense of community and connection, both with my mentee and within the schools. It’s been a great way to build relationships, expand my network, and make a real impact where it’s needed. Beyond that, the meaningful conversations I’ve had with my campus coordinator and fellow mentors have given me valuable perspective and support, reinforcing how much we all play a role in showing up for these students—and each other.
• How have you seen your mentee grow? Physically, of course – when we started, we weren’t too far apart in height, but I think he’s about to tower over me any day now! Beyond that, as he’s gotten more comfortable with me, I’ve seen him grow in confidence and become more at ease around other adults in his life.
• What has been your most impactful mentoring moment? We got to a point when I wasn’t sure I could play another game of Battleship, so I suggested trying a deck of “conversation starter” cards. I figured he’d shut it down and try to get another game of Battleship out of me, but instead, he opened up and talked more than ever before! We learned so much about each other that day. It was also great to hear about him connecting with my son at off-season football workouts - mentoring has a way of creating unexpected and lasting bonds!
• What has been a mentoring challenge you've faced? One challenge has been wondering if we’re “accomplishing” anything from week to week. He’s quiet, and a lot of our time is spent in silence, focusing more on our Othello or Mancala strategy than talking about school, football or his brothers. But over time, I’ve realized that just showing up, being consistent, and giving him space to be himself matters just as much as the conversations.
• What's your greatest tip to share with the other mentors? Don’t overthink it — just show up and be consistent. You don’t need to have the perfect conversation or the most exciting activity planned. Some days will be full of great talks, and other days, you might just sit quietly playing a game. Just being there, week after week, is what makes the biggest difference. Your mentee may not always show it, but they notice—and it matters more than you realize.
• What do you wish the community knew about FYI? I’ve volunteered for a lot of organizations and coached a lot of teams over the years. Of all those experiences, FYI has provided the biggest payback for the lowest amount of effort, so to speak. At just a 30-minute commitment each week during the school year, it costs just a singe lunch break a week to make an observable, positive impact on our community. It’s often said every kid needs five stable, caring and supportive adults outside of their immediate family to develop healthy social, emotional and academic skills. This is a perfect opportunity to be one of those five people for a kid in our schools who’s waiting to be matched with a mentor right now.
• Is there anything else you would like to share? To the men — there are a lot of young guys in our schools waiting for a mentor, and we could really use more male mentors to step in. It’s just one lunch break a week, but it can have a big impact on a kid who could use a steady, positive influence. This simple act of showing up can change the course of a kid’s life, setting off a ripple effect that reaches further than we’ll ever know!