EVANSTON — “I’m busy.” “I don’t have time.” “There’s too much on my plate.” There are myriad reasons — very real ones — for not setting aside time to be a positive influence for local youth. But one Evanston man — who is, by many accounts, the embodiment of “busy” — says it’s well worth the time and effort to mentor a young person.

In fact, making the time has really been the only challenge of an otherwise overwhelmingly positive experience, said Dr. David Russell, a local optometrist who mentors local youth through the Disability:IN Uinta County NextGen Mentoring Program. And even that one challenge proved to be motivation for Russell to step up and help out four years ago.

“Programs like these,” Russell said, “… if everybody feels like they don’t have time, then nothing gets done.”

The program currently has four girls on its waiting list, and program coordinator Bethany Shidler brought that to the community’s attention at a recent Chamber of Commerce luncheon, where she touted the program and detailed the importance of mentorships. Russell echoed some of those sentiments this week during a Herald interview.

“The more people that you have in your life as a kid, as an adolescent, the more likely you are to be successful in life,” he said Wednesday. “I’ve benefited from people who looked out for me and have gone on out of their way to help me out.” Russell said he wants to pay that forward and help when he can.

“I wouldn’t have been classified as an ‘at-risk youth’ when I was young,” Russell said, “but I certainly had coaches, teachers and other adults who cheered me on and cared about me. I think that’s important in life.”

Russell said the youth in the program participate for a variety of reasons; sometimes they only have one — or zero — parents in their lives. But whatever brings them to the program, Russell said the key is to build a positive bond, a good relationship with a young person.

“As you grow up, let’s say even if you have a really loving, supportive home, it’s part of kids’ natural development to kind of drift away from their parents and to put weight into other people’s opinions in life,” he said. “So having good people who make good decisions within your orbit — I think that’s a good advantage.”

“You know, life is about relationships and friendships,” Russell continued. “Having the opportunity to meet a kid who I wouldn’t have [met] otherwise, it’s an opportunity on both ends to enrich your life. It doesn’t take a lot of time, and I don’t know how much good I’ve done … but a little.”

Russell said volunteering as a mentor has also helped him teach his children (he and his wife, Erin Russell, have five kids of their own) the importance of helping those less fortunate and giving back to the community.

“I like for my kids to see that I’m doing something in the community,” Russell said. “I think my kids live a pretty privileged life, and I worry about my kids having a skewed perception of what life’s like [for those less fortunate].”

There are regular activities facilitated by Shidler and the mentoring program, and mentors are encouraged to keep in regular contact with their mentees. Russell, who also volunteers through his church, said he’ll reach out to his current mentee, Julien Delgadillo, a couple of times per week via text and get together when possible. Last year they watched a season of “The Mandalorian” together. Russell has mentored four local boys and activities have included watching a movie outside, lots of game nights and hikes at Bear River State Park. One activity that Russell said was particularly meaningful was with a prior mentee — the two of them built a fence together. “That was a memorable project,” Russell said.

While game nights can be fun, and building a fence can certainly be beneficial, Russell stressed that those things are not the goal.

“These activities come up with a framework where you can have a conversation,” Russell said. “Maybe we’re playing a board game, but I’m asking about their weekend and if they got their homework done and if they got caught up in this class. … The benefit, mainly — the biggest thing — is those conversations, just caring about someone and finding out what’s going on in their life. And those activities provide the infrastructure and those teaching moments.”

Russell said one of the most impactful moments he’s had in his four years with the program came during a recent meeting with Julien and his mother, Adelaida Delgadillo.

“It was really heartwarming,” Russell said, “because she was really nice in what she had to say and she was talking about … when she moved to Evanston, she was surprised by the program because she didn’t think there would be anyone who cared about her and her family.”

Russell said it meant a lot to her to realize there are people out there who took the time to care and who care about her and her son.

Shidler also expressed appreciation as she praised Russell, who received the 2021 Mentor of the Year Award, for his dedication to the program.

“David is an amazing man who is willing to go above and beyond to help the youth in our community,” Shidler said.

That said, Russell admitted he’d like to see more people step up and help out. In his fourth year of volunteering, he said he wouldn’t mind have a little break.

Those interested in helping local youth through the NextGen Mentoring Program are encouraged to call Bethany Shidler at 307-783-6302 or contact her via email at mentor@di-ucw.org.