Fort Walton Beach, Fla. – Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida is proud to announce John Holguin as the 2023 Okaloosa County Big of the Year! This award is given to a mentor who goes above and beyond and is dedicated in helping their Little learn, grow and reach their full potential.
John has provided mentorship and friendship to his Little Brother Isaiah for over two years. They enjoy all types of activities together, including disc golf, working on John’s family farm, boating and sporting events. They have worked through many challenges together, including transferring from Okaloosa Academy to traditional high school. John encourages Isaiah to make goals and work towards them and is an active, consistent person in his life. Last September, John took Isaiah to the University of Florida to visit family, tour the campus, and see volleyball and football games.
John is the Chief of Operations at the Okaloosa County Tax Collectors Office and is involved in several community organizations including All Sports, Florida Special Olympics, Fort Walton Beach Recreation Center, Krewe of Bowlegs, and the Take Stock Program. John is always willing to help share our mission and has personally recruited multiple mentors for Big Brothers Big Sisters. On June 6, 2023, BBBS Staff, Advisory Board Member Rique Gwin, and Isaiah surprised John with the award, during an All Sports meeting.
“Thank you to the BBBS staff and organization,” says John. “I am incredibly honored to accept this award. In fact, this is easily one of the highlights of my mentoring journey.”
John has truly shown how just a small commitment for a few hours a month can make a Big impact on a child’s life. We are grateful to have him as part of the Big Brothers Big Sisters family and are proud to present him with this award.