PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Two of Taylor Swift’s biggest fans got the chance of a lifetime to attend her concert Friday night thanks to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay.
The bond between Ashlee Tennant and 10-year-old Shamarri is tighter than ever.
“She means everything to me,” said Tennant. “She’s my best friend.”
Tennant is a Big through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay, and Shamarri is her little.
As people prepared for Swift’s second concert in Tampa, Big Brothers Big Sisters said they were gifted VIP tickets to surprise a match who are diehard fans.
“We had over 150 matches apply, and Shamarri and Ashlee were picked, and they’re going to have a really great experience tonight,” said Chris Letsos, the CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay.
On Friday afternoon, Tennant made a surprise appearance at Shamarri’s school in Pinellas County to bring her the good news. The 10-year-old was overcome with emotion at just seeing her best friend.
“This is really great to be in such a remarkable place, being a part of this organization,” said Tennant.
Letsos said they’re in great need of Bigs, explaining that there’s never been a greater need for young people to have support and guidance.
“We currently serve around 2,000 young people. We want to serve 1,000 more, 2,000 more because of the great need,” said Letsos. “We’re looking for caring adults who can carve out a couple of hours a month to get to know a Little, and they can go to their school or they can meet them in their community or participate in one of our specialized programs. All it takes is a little commitment to make a big difference.”
While a concert is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, Letsos shared that it’s the smaller moments that mean the most.
“I’ve heard from so many Littles that the smallest thing, just going to Publix together or just going for walks together or just having someone to talk to makes all the difference in the world,” said Letsos.
