Spaghetti in the Merrill Hall basement today means dinner for students and funding to match kids in need with mentors.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Isabella County is hosting the spaghetti dinner from 9 p.m. until 11 p.m. to raise money for the program.

Jake Gabrielson has mentored and been a friend to children through Big Brothers Big Sisters.

“It’s an amazing program,” said the Troy senior, who is involved with the dinner. “It does great things for the kids.”

Students can buy tickets before the event for $3 from a Big Brothers Big Sisters member, or they can buy them for $4 at the event.

Those attending will have a sit-down meal in the Merrill Hall basement, but residents of Merrill Hall can have their dinners delivered to their room.

“We’ve done deliveries in the past for fundraisers,” Gabrielson said. “We try to generate more interest by bringing the food, and they don’t have the inconvenience of leaving their room.”

Big Brothers Big Sisters is a nationwide non-profit organization that connects children aged 6-18 with a mentor in their community, according to the organization’s Web site.

Kadi Janssen helped organize the event after doing an internship with Big Brothers Big Sisters.

“There are two kinds of programs,” said the West Bloomfield senior. “The traditional, where a child is matched with someone, say a college student, and the after-school program where kids go after school if their parents work.”

The mentors help the children reach their potential and develop positive relationships.

Janssen said Big Brothers Big Sisters worked together with the Student Social Work Association to put on the event.

“I think we should have a lot of people; I know Merrill Hall is excited for it,” she said.

All of the proceeds from the ticket sales will go to support Big Brothers Big Sisters.

The dinner will include homemade spaghetti, breadsticks and juice.

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