Craig Melvin wants men to volunteer.

Craig Melvin wants men to volunteer.

“Wearing a skirt is just as awkward as I thought it would be,” Craig says.

Getting Big Brothers Big Sisters in on the photo shoot was his idea: “It’s hands down my favorite charity.”

When Craig joined their board, he volunteered to be a big brother. He was matched with Justin, “a regular, rambunctious kid who likes to eat. We spend time hanging out. He comes to the station.”

The station is WIS, where Craig has spent his entire career and earned his spot on the evening news. At the end of the month, he’s leaving his hometown for a coveted job, anchoring weekends at a Washington D.C. station.

Before he goes, he hopes to recruit a few big brother volunteers. “There’s a tremendous need, especially for young black men,” he says. “It’s wholly unreasonable to expect a kid to grow up and achieve if we don’t set that example.”

What do you like about reading skirt!: “I love the layout. It’s very funky, very different. I love different.”

And wearing a skirt?: “It was hot that day, so it was like wearing shorts.”

About Big Brothers Big Sisters in Columbia:

Big Brothers Big Sisters was started in 1966 by Clayton Normand while he was a student at the University of South Carolina. In those early days, Normand worked with a small group in the community and funded many activities out of his own pocket. Today, Big Brothers Big Sisters sponsors both community based and school based programs and has served more than 17,000 kids over the years.

How to Get Involved:

Inspired to become a Big? Know a child who’d benefit from being a little? Learn more at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Columbia.