October 24, 2011

It's a familiar voice to fans of the Virginia Cavaliers. One heard while following games on UVA's gridiron, diamond and hardwood. But the “Voice of the Cavaliers”, Dave Koehn, is also using his baritone vocals to make a difference.

“For me it's one of the most rewarding things that I do,” Koehn said of being a volunteer Big Brother. “You call it volunteer work, but it's not work. It's fun.”

For a few hours each week, WahooVoice, as he's known on Twitter, hangs out with 5th grader Adrian Ward. They watch the UVa basketball team practice, meet coaches and even toss around the pigskin on the Virginia football practice fields.

“Not only do you feel like you're helping somebody out, in a lot of ways Adrian is helping me out. I think it's a two-way street. You can really impact someone else, but they can impact your life too,” said Koehn, who added that Adrian has become part of the family.

Adrian looks up to his big brother, especially when it comes to sports. He says Koehn is always there to encourage him to try his hardest and do his best.

Aside from calling play-by-play on the radio, Koehn can also be heard discussing the importance of volunteering to be a big brother or big sister.

“I think one of the things the younger generation can stand to gain from the most is leadership by example. More than anyone telling them what to do, is seeing someone in a positive light that lives their life in a good way and can pass that along,” he said.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Blue Ridge is looking for volunteers. To find out more information, click here.