The annual Big Brothers Big Sisters "Big" Duck Race is coming up soon. This week, executive director Dawn Froese was at the Portage la Prairie Shopper's Drug Mart selling tickets for the big race on July 1st.

She tells us why it's important to support the organization.

"It's really to help kids have a mentor," says Froese. "Having a mentor can change their life. By having someone to talk to and someone to mentor them, we're finding that statistically, and we've done research on this, that the kids who are mentored in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program are more likely to finish school than some of their peers. They're more likely to attend post-secondary institutions. They're having better relationships with other people. Some of the kids we have aren't really great with social skills, and having a mentor helps them become better at that."

Froese says they'll be around town for the next few weeks selling tickets, otherwise check their website or Facebook page to purchase your ticket.