{"id":5886,"date":"2020-06-29T12:13:05","date_gmt":"2020-06-29T17:13:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/silveuscropins.com\/?page_id=5886"},"modified":"2020-12-03T10:28:53","modified_gmt":"2020-12-03T15:28:53","slug":"silveus-stories-the-power-of-showing-up","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/silveuscropins.com\/silveus-stories-the-power-of-showing-up\/","title":{"rendered":"Silveus Stories – The Power Of Showing Up"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The Power Of Showing Up:
\nHenry Crans<\/span>
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By MariJean Sanders<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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If you\u2019ve ever had the opportunity to spend time with Henry Crans,\u00a029-year old computer programmer for Silveus Insurance, you\u2019ll know that he exudes a relaxed, warm presence. His easygoing demeanor and quick smile are infectious, and you\u2019ll soon find yourself at ease.<\/p>\n

Crans has worked as a computer programmer for Silveus since he graduated from Grace College in January of 2011 with a degree in computer science. Henry was attracted to programming because of a keen interest in problem solving and the satisfaction that comes from creating something.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was always interested in technology,\u201d he explains. \u201cI\u2019ve considered being a programmer since I was a kid. Once I took programing classes in college I knew I was pretty sure I wanted to do it for a career. It\u2019s really cool to sit down with a project idea in mind and get to see it come to fruition.\u201d<\/p>\n

Crans doesn\u2019t just practice the art of patient investment at his job \u2013 this skill\u00a0carries over into other areas of his life as well:\u00a0for the past six years, he has been pouring into the life of a little boy named Alex.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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\u201cWhen I finished college, my friend Val worked at Big Brothers, Big Sisters,\u201d Crans explains. \u201cShe was really good at recruiting her friends. I had been wondering if there was a way to tangibly help or mentor a kid.\u201d<\/p>\n

Big Brothers Big Sisters works by matching up a young person (their \u201cLittle\u201d) with a mentor (\u201cBig\u201d) who shares interests and personality traits. Many of the Littles do not have a father figure and have an often difficult home life. Henry started meeting his little in 2010 and has been mentoring him ever since.<\/p>\n

So what does mentorship look like, day to day? What is it like to invest into the life of a child in a way that makes a lifelong impact? Crans and his Little meet up about every 3 weeks, grabbing a burger from Steak and Shake or playing tennis at the park, riding bikes and longboards on the trails, or playing a card game.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not always magical,\u201d he insists. \u201cNot every moment goes perfectly. There will be awkward silences or times you don\u2019t want to hang out that particular day. But you get there. You show up, have good moments here and there\u2026 and then you start to realize how much you care about the kid and how much he cares about you.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Crans\u2019 mentee lives in a mobile home with his mother and grandmother. His father lives nearby, but never sees or interacts with him. Henry feels that a masculine influence on the life of his Little has the potential to make a big difference.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve found out that the important thing is really the long-term consistency\u2026it\u2019s not necessarily what we do on a particular day. It\u2019s a lot of little moments. I think he just enjoys spending time with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Henry\u2019s Little was eight years old when they first started meeting, and now he is in eighth grade, ready to enter high school this coming fall. Big Brothers, Big Sisters typically asks for a one-year commitment from a Big Brother or Sister.<\/p>\n

What compelled Henry to take such intentional time out of his life to invest in a child for the past six years? Part of the answer may be that it is a picture of his own childhood: people showing up.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Crans grew up in Otsego, Michigan, the youngest of three. He has fond memories of a childhood spent bicycling around his small town, exploring creeks and trails, paper routes, video games, and sports. His parents separated when he was in middle school, which was challenging, but ultimately Crans counts it as a blessing because of the close relationship he has with his stepmom. When he was young, a family from down the road would pick up him along with his siblings to attend at Watson Bible Church of Otsego, Mich. During high school, a next-door neighbor invited Crans to youth group at First Baptist Church. The experience had a profound impact on him, as well as a week at summer camp when Henry recalls approaching a counselor and telling him he didn\u2019t know what it meant to be a Christian.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy experience with youth group in high school was pretty instrumental in helping me realize I wanted to work with youth,\u201d he notes. \u201cThe impact that made in my life and the youth workers there made me want to do the same.\u201d<\/p>\n

Crans has carried this engagement in the lives of young children even further by helping out with the Kids\u2019 Club at Community Grace Brethren Church. He also applied for Silveus to invest in Gradway, a nonprofit whose mission is to help kids who are at risk of dropping out of high school, and asked Silveus to come on board with the Big Brothers, Big Sisters program, planning fundraisers and donating to the nonprofit.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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\u201c[After] working for Silveus for a few years, it\u2019s pretty evident that they\u2019re really philanthropic,\u201d he explains. \u201cThe leadership team really has a heart for service and is always looking for opportunities in the community. You can tell they really want to come alongside us as employees. It\u2019s awesome to work for a company that\u2019s that passionate to get involved in things that their employees are passionate about.\u201d<\/p>\n

Henry wants to get others excited about becoming a big brother or sister through the program as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne thing I\u2019d really like to see is for more men to be involved in these programs\u2026a lot of the kids that are waiting for matches are boys, are waiting for more men volunteers. If you think about it the number of single moms are there who are trying to raise their kids without the male influence, twice a month whatever small commitment a man can make will make a huge difference in the life of a kid.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the meantime, Henry plans to stick with his little throughout high school, and hopes to maintain a relationship far beyond that as well. He says he still has a lot to learn about the ups and downs of mentorship. But whatever happens, he showed up in the life of another person in a way that will last a lifetime.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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