TELLURIDE – Antonio is a local 11-year-old who is passionate about outdoor sports. With rivers to fish, trails to hike and slopes to ski just out his backdoor, this youngster lives in the perfect locale to explore the bounty of the natural world.

Thanks, that is, to the One-to-One Mentoring program.

Although Antonio lives smack in the middle of a sportsman’s paradise, until this fall, it was difficult for him to actually enjoy it. It may have been in his backyard, but it was still out-of-reach: While beautiful, Telluride is an expensive place to live, and to make ends meet Antonio’s parents both work full-time, leaving little time, and even less money, to devote to quelling Antonio’s thirst for adventure.

But local Peter Chapman did.

Chapman is a mentor for One to One, the regional nonprofit dedicated to helping kids in San Miguel County reach their potential through its professionally supported mentoring program. Through its Core Mentorship Program, Study Buddy Program, Homework Club and other programs, One to One helps facilitate mentorship matches through which local kids can build new relationships and forge fresh paths.

For Antonio, the relationship formed with Chapman through One to One has opened a series of doors that were previously closed.

Since hooking up out in November, the duo have hiked the Jud Wiebe trail any number of times and attended the Ouray Ice Climbing Festival. When Antonio wanted to do a science project on fly fishing, Chapman helped him connect with professionals at Christy Sports, who talked with him about the different species of fish in the San Miguel River, and even gave him some sample flies.

When the ski area opened, Antonio hoped to go skiing – but didn’t have gear or a pass. Chapman asked friends to chip in, and thanks to a discount from Telluride Ski and Golf, Chapman and friends were able to purchase a ski pass for Antonio and his sister. Telluride Sports donated season-long equipment rentals, and now Antonio and Chapman ski together regularly.

“Antonio’s just a great kid who deserves access to all the area has to offer, and that is where I and other mentors come in,” says Chapman.

Currently 110 kids age 5-17 participate in One to One, and the impact the program has on those kids is evident, says Program Coordinator Kara Johnson.

“These kids live in an amazing place and an amazing community, but often they don’t have the resources to participate in a lot of things. When they’re matched with a mentor, the resources and partnerships the program offers allows them to be able to experience so much more,” Johnson says.

She adds that while the organization offers mentors all the tools and support they may need during their time as mentors – mentoring workshops with clinical psychologists and cultural competency specialists are two examples – mentors aren’t expected to fill any other role for the kids than that of a friend.

“People are often reluctant to mentor because they’re afraid they’ll be expected to be in a parent or counselor type of role, and that’s not what this program is about,” says One to One Executive Director Vivian Russell. “All we’re asking is for someone to show up and be themselves.”

It’s the being there, more than the activities or help with homework, that has been shown to make the biggest impact on One to One kids, Russell and Johnson agree.

“It’s not necessarily about spending money or planning a lot of special events,” Russell says. Johnson notes that it can be as simple as picking a kid up from school one day a week and taking a walk, going to the hardware store, or making dinner together.

“We all have a certain wisdom to share with a kid,” Russell attests.

Mentors are asked to commit to a full year with their mentees, but in many cases those relationships last far beyond that. While the national average for such mentoring programs is nine months, at One to One the average is two-and-a-half years. In mentor David Walker’s case, his relationship with his mentee has lasted over a decade.

Initially, becoming a mentor sounded like a worthy way to spend a little extra time, Walker says, but it soon evolved into a lasting bond with his mentee. Mentoring became a family affair, with Walker’s wife (and now a One-to-One office volunteer) Betsy joining in to help mentor the boy’s sister. Today, Walker’s mentee is a teenager looking ahead to his future.

“I think we’ve filled a void in his life, just in that we’ve been able to provide a wider range of influence through his childhood,” Walker says of his mentee. “But by the same token, it’s been very rewarding for us to see him grow up.”

One to One’s Russell echoes Walker’s sentiment, noting that while many mentors get involved with the program because they want to do something to “give back,” they often end up getting something valuable in return.

There are currently seven boys and six girls on the waiting list to be matched with a mentor, with more mentor requests coming in all the time. Male mentors are in especially high demand. No special skill or background is necessary to become a One to One mentor.

For more information on the One to One program, email onetoone@telluridecolorado.net or call 970/728-0885; their website is www.onetoonetelluride.org.