It sometimes feels if I have no exciting news, I have no reason to write in my blog. And then I realized... I'm probably going to be in this place for a couple months, so no need to wait to update this!
Two weeks ago, we had our clubs finale - I had hoped to keep it running until June this year, but our volunteers are mostly students and farmers, both of whom have other commitments come May, so it just wasn't possible. So it was with some regret we closed up shop early, although looking back it maybe was for the best. Our weather is so beautiful, and the kids are so excited not to be cooped up inside anymore, that I suspect our attendance would have steadily dropped, anyway! Last week we had our volunteer thank-you evening - I am not the most demonstrative person when it comes to appreciation, and I wish I did better at that. Our volunteers are beautiful, amazing people who give so much for the sake of our kids, and their contribution is key!
Now there is a bit of a haitus until July, for me at least. Drop-in continues, and a few other programs, but most of our school-year programs are finished. My involvement with youth has become very deliberate one-on-ones, and not much else, for this season.
While my youth involvement has waned, my administrative needs are flourishing - we have hired almost all of our summer staff already - a record, for us! My job includes helping them get started on fundraising, applying for grants to augment their support levels, ensuring their paperwork has gone through and getting them in contact with others at ICYA that will make their experience the best possible.
We are also looking to host a golf tournament in August to boost staff support levels, and I have taken on quite a bit of work in getting that organized. It's an interesting fit, since i have no interest in golf, and am not a fan of the administrative side of work. But so many of our staff are struggling in raising their support that when this idea was suggested to us, it just seemed like the perfect thing to give us a boost in morale and a different way of fundraising, so I've committed to getting it off the ground. (Anyone interested in playing in a tournament August 17?)
I have also taken on the community BBQ - which used to be an annual event, but has been farmed out or just not happened in the last 2 years, since I stopped organizing it. So, with some time in the next 2 months and the vision to see it through, I've taken that project on.
All this is to say, you may not hear much from me over the next few months - "I just got our hot dog order in today!", "I finished writing a grant!" and "2 more golfers signed up!" just don't get me as excited to share my work as seeing youth live's change. But I guess we do these administrative things for that purpose: community BBQs introduce hundreds of people to our programs that may not hear of it otherwise, golf tournaments enable staff to remain here, when their support levels tell them they can't afford to keep this job, and summer staff enable us to expand our programming to reach so many more kids PERSONALLY that it is all worth it... I just have to remember that when I'm frustrated one month in!
But this is not forever - I'm heavily involved in our summer programming, and will be very hands-on with our youth throughout July & August, so I have something to look forward to!
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